Srinagar, May 31: Police on Tuesday revealed that 258 persons were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) since March this year out of which 175 are lodged in different jails across the state.
“Nearly 258 persons were booked under PSA from March till May 12 this year. They were charged with creating law and order problem in 2010,” the Inspector General of Police Kashmir zone S M Sahai told Greater Kashmir.
“Out of this number we have released 83 persons. There are 175 persons currently lodged in different jails,” he said.
Giving the break up the IGP said 175 persons include 48 persons affiliated with separatist organizations while as the rest 127 accused are mainly “habitual stone-pelters, instigators and other hardcore miscreants. There are also some timber smugglers also.”
The IGP said a total of 5,078 persons were detained for taking part in  last year’s unrest. “Most of them have been released,” Sahai said. “This figure does not include the people who have been held for militancy related activities.  That (militant cases) figure is being prepared. It would take some time,” he added.
The IGP however, refused to divulge the details about the number of militants who are currently undergoing detention in various jails.

322 BOOKED UNDER PSA IN 2010: AMNESTY
Pertinently, the human rights Watch Dog Amnesty International had recently said that at least 322 persons were booked under PSA in Jammu and Kashmir from January 2010 to September 2010 alone. The Amnesty said a number of them, including children, were detained on grounds of “stone pelting and rioting” during various protests against the government throughout the summer of 2010.

1465 DETAINED: HURRIYAT (G)
However, the Hurriyat Conference (G) said that at least 1465 persons have been detained across the Valley.
“We have a list of 1465 people who have been detained. It includes the list of prominent political leaders, protesters and other people who have be arrested due to their affiliation with the ongoing movement,”  the Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar said.
“They are living under harsh conditions in jails. Many among them are under age, and some are ill,” Akbar said. “The police are still looking for the wanted persons for their alleged role in 2010 unrest.”
Pertinently, authorities in a move to sustain the “fragile peace” in Kashmir had imposed section 144 CRPC for 2-months in the summer capital- Srinagar.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST