Srinagar, Apr 28: Police on Thursday arrested the Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik and his close aide Showkat Bakshi when they tried to stage a sit-in against the arrest of a Front activist here. Malik and his 12 associates sustained injuries in the police action.
Following Malik’s arrest, violent protests broke out in Maisuma---a JKLF bastion---as local youth clashed with police and CRPF contingents. Clashes led to spontaneous shutdown in the area.
The JKLF spokesman, Altaf Khan, while giving the details said that Malik along with the Front activists attempted to stage a dharna at Budshah Chowk here against the “illegal detention” of the party activist, Ashiq Hussain.
“Hussain’s family had gone to Maisuma Police station to get his detention report so that they are able to get a bail from the court. However, police did not issue the report,” Khan said.
“Malik along with the party activists and neighbouring shopkeepers proceeded with a protest sit in at Badshah Chowk against the police harassment and illegal means to keep persons under arrest,” he said.
“As soon as Malik and other JKLF activists assembled near Budshah Chowk huge contingents of Police and paramilitary CRPF men resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas canisters to disperse them. In the police action, at least 12 persons, including the JKLF Chairman sustained injuries,” Khan said, “Malik and Showkat Ahmad Bakshi were rounded up by police and were lodged in Kothi Bagh Police Station.”
“We were just holding a peaceful protest. It seems government wants violence to return. The way the authorities terrorized peaceful people by the violent means gives impression that police and government want to disturbance in peace,” the JKLF spokesman said. “Several raids have been carried out in Maisuma and other places. Police are looking for boys who have been charged earlier. How long can we remain silent?”
Showkat Ahmad, uncle of the accused Ashiq Hussain, said their ward was arrested for participating in the pro-freedom protests. “Ashiq was detained after a civilian complained. We produced legal papers seeking police report to get bail from the court. The police did not give it and instead wanted to buy time,” Ahmad said.
Chairman of Hurriyat (M), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq castigated the government for detaining Malik.
“It seems government wants to disturb peace. For no reason students are being arrested,” Mirwaiz said. “They are being booked under PSA and bundled to Jammu. Kashmir has become a police state. It is being done to create fear pyschosis. We condemn the arrests of youth and JKLF chairman”.

POLICE VERSION
Meanwhile, Police said accused Ashiq Hussain was arrested after he snatched some cash and beat up a person.
“A complaint was lodged by Ishfaq Hussain Shah, a resident of Karnah at present Wathora Budgam a Tavera driver at Police Station Maisuma that he was attacked by some unidentified person. The injured complainant alleged that he was beaten and some cash was also snatched from him. Accordingly a case FIR 23/11 under section 392/RPC was registered in police station Maisuma. The police started its investigation and during the investigation the complainant was identified as Aashiq Hussain Dar as the assailant who was later arrested,” a police spokesman said.
“Today Yasin Malik along with his associates went inside the police station Maisuma and intimidated and attacked the policemen besides ransacking some items of the office. He along with his associates disturbed the peace in the area. They indulged in disruption of the movement of traffic on the road in the Budshah Chowk. A case FIR no. 24/11 has been registered and Yasin Malik along with an associate have been arrested,” the spokesman added.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST