Aggrieved by the arrest of their kin by the police, a group of people on Monday held a sit-in protest in Bandipora to demand their release. Five young men, according to family members, were picked up by the police from a stadium and booked under Public Safety Act.
The families alleged that their kin have been booked under PSA on false charges as they were not involved in any kind of anti-government activity. “All the detainees who have been booked under PSA are innocent. The police have framed false charges against them. We demand their release and revoking of charges framed against them,” said Fahmeeda, a protester.
They said that the police have booked them under several cases in police station Aragam even when they don’t come under the jurisdiction of the said police station.
“They were picked up from Bandipora stadium several days ago by the police,” they said, adding that they were not involved in any stone-pelting protest in Aragam.
“Police dodged us about their release. Police would say they will be released in a day or two but on Saturday we came to know they have been booked under PSA and have been sent to Jammu jail. Sajad Hussain who has been booked under PSA has a wife and little kids, two unmarried sisters and elderly parents to take care of. He was the lone bread earner for his family.
He would always mind his own business and never took part in any kind of stone pelting protests,” said a protestor.
Likewise, Farooq Ahmad, who was also booked under PSA, according to relatives was doing his normal business and was also the lone breadwinner for his family.
“On the day they were arrested they had gone to a nearby forest area to collect wicker for making Kangris with other neighbours.
After returning from the forest they had gone to watch a football match in Bandipora while returning home after watching the match they were arrested by the police on way,” the protesting relatives said.
They appealed to the Governor to personally look into the matter. The police on Saturday had booked five persons from Kaloosa, Nusoo and Hajin areas here under J&K Public Safety Act (PSA) on alleged stone pelting charges.