Srinagar, Sept 30: Despite centre including the release of protesters and stone pelters in its recently announced 8-point proposal, police have arrested scores of youth from different areas and have booked them under Public Safety Act.   
 During the past few days, sources said police have arrested at least 14 youth, who were among 62 youth detained during pro-freedom protests in Budgam on September 13. They according to sources have been shifted from JIC Budgam to various jails in Jammu including Kot Balwal and Kathua jails. All 14 have already been booked under PSA.
 On Wednesday night, police arrested four youth from old city in Nowhatta.
 Witnesses said a senior police official and his team caught hold of four youth near Nowhatta Chowk and bundled them into the vehicle.
 “There weren’t any protests or stone pelting. In fact, curfew was relaxed and shops were open,” eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir.
 The four were identified as Haris Kawoosa, Adil Ahmad Zargar, Arif Kawoosa and Ashiq Ahmad.
 Similarly, police conducted raids in various other localities of the downtown including Safa Kadal and Nawa Kadal during the past few days.
 A teenager Junaid Me’raj son of Me’raj Ahmad of Safa Kadal was arrested on Monday as soon as he stepped out of his house. Locals said he had gone out  to purchase bread in the afternoon.
 At Nawa Kadal, locals staged protests following which forces retreated with out making any arrests.
 In uptown Rawalpora, people including women staged protests blocking the roads. They said police arrested two youth in the past 3-days from Wanabal locality.
 Similarly, witnesses said police and CRPF men on Tuesday arrested a youth from Zoonimar and another from Soura after pro-freedom protests broke out in these localities.
 Reports said during the past few weeks, around 35 youth have been arrested from various localities of Pampore town in Pulwama district.
 During the past more-than-three months of unrest, hundreds of youth have been arrested during protests, raids and crackdowns and have been booked under various sections ranging from rioting and attempt to murder to waging war against the state.
POLICE VERSION
 A police spokesman had said that 134 youth were arrested in Srinagar, of which 122 were bailed out and only 12 are in custody.
 In Budgam, Ganderbal, Shopian, Kulgam, Kupwara and Sopur, 27, 31, 22, 24, 24 and 8 were arrested respectively and all of them bailed out. Similarly, in district Pulwama, 14 were arrested, of which 13 were bailed out.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 30 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 1 Oct 2010 00:00:00 IST