Srinagar, Mar 20:  There are at least 1160 youth who are wanted by police across the Kashmir Valley for their alleged role in the summer unrest of 2010.
 Police sources said the accused are wanted in various cases lodged against them for creating law and order problems last year.
 The youth, they said, are yet to be arrested and the cops are looking for them to close the pending cases and also produce the charge-sheets.
 The policemen are calling the relatives of the accused to police stations, where they are asked to reveal the whereabouts of their wards. In many cases, the police have also conducted midnight raids to nab the accused protesters.
 “The hunt for the absconding persons has been intensified to avert eruption of protests in future. We suspect they may organize the protests again,” a police official said.
 Most of the wanted youth have been charged with “attempt to murder, prevention of unlawful acts, burning and rampage, and for unlawful assembly.”
 On the other hand, many youth have fled from their homes to evade arrests.
 Sources said 1160 youth are wanted by police in Kashmir, excluding the figures of absconding youth in Sopore area where officials refused to divulge the details.
 In Srinagar 60 youth are wanted by police. “We are looking for them,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Bukhari. “But most of them have left their places on account of winter.” Police said majority of the wanted youth belong to downtown Srinagar.
 The district-wise figures of the absconding youth, furnished by police, is Budgam (150); Baramulla (220), with large numbers from Pattan, Palhallan and Kreeri; Handwara (20); Kupwara (13); Bandipora (20).
 Sources said the cases against most of the youth have already been registered.
 In south Kashmir’s Pulwama area some 300 youth are wanted. “There is a pending FIR against them. We have to charge-sheet them,” said a police officer.
 In Islamabad (Anantanag) there are 250 youth who are wanted in different cases lodged against them.
 “There are 20 persons against whom there are serious charges. The may be booked under Public Safety Act,” a police official said. “All of them have fled to unknown places. We are looking for them”.   
 In Kulgam district police is looking for 70 persons who are on the run. Similarly, the Shopian police are looking for 50 youth.
 On March 17, Jammu and Kashmir government admitted that over 5,228 protesters were arrested during the past one year in Kashmir of which over 4,900 have been released. This does not include the youth who were arrested, detained for some days and later released without any FIR lodged against them.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST