Jaskamal Bains/ Irshad Hussain
All men have fled away from the home of Irfan Ahmed Rather, who has been accused of holding the ‘Free Kashmir’ banner during the Ashoora procession at central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Irfan Ahmed (26) from Shareefabad HMT, Srinagar who works as a sweeper at an army camp in the area has been booked under UAPA. However, his family told The Kashmiriyat that he was not a part of the Ashoora procession at Budgam.
“Our son was sleeping at his home when the local youths of Shareefabad took out the Muharram procession in Budgam. He is innocent,” Zoona Akhtar, Irfan Ahmed’s mother said.
“Days ago at around 10:30 p.m., concerned policemen came to Irfan Ahmed’s residence in order to detain him, but there were no men at the house, only women,” local who wished not to be named told The Kashmiriyat.
Irfan’s family members said that they would hand over Irfan Ahmed to the police officials if they prove that he was the part of Muharram procession on Ashoora at Budgam.
As per a report by The Indian Express, since 2019, nearly 2,300 people have been booked by the J&K administration under the UAPA in more than 1,200 cases. 46 percent of those booked under the UAPA still remain in jails both inside and outside Jammu Kashmir.
Of the 2,364 arrested under UAPA, 918 accused were held in 437 cases in the year 2019, while 953 were held in 557 cases in the year 2020, and 493 accused were held in 273 cases until July 2021. Nearly 1,100 arrested under UAPA continue to remain in custody.
On the significant increase in the UAPA cases in 2020 and a decrease in PSA cases, The Indian Express quoted a legal expert in the same report who said that it was a shift in which the police has started booking individuals under the more stringent law (UAPA) than the PSA, “which required regular extensions of custody.”
The matter was also brought up in the All-Party Meet that was held at the PM’s residence, New Delhi on June 24, 2021, where the political leaders from Jammu Kashmir had demanded the release of those booked under the UAPA and PSA.
It becomes pertinent to mention that across India, as per the report of the NCRB for the year 2019, the total number of people arrested was 1,948 while those convicted under UAPA was 34.
However, last week, the Police filed a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against unidentified persons in central Kashmir’s Budgam district for raising the ‘Free Kashmir’ banner while a mourning procession was carried out by Shia Muslims.
As per reports by local news agencies, thousands of Shia Muslims were part of the procession on Thursday, last week in which a banner of ‘Free Kashmir’ was raised.
The FIR no. 262/2021 under section 13 UAPA was registered at Police Station Budgam on 20 August 2021.
Shia Muslims across Kashmir hold Muharram gatherings to pay homage to the martyrs of Karbala in the month of Muharram. However, the authorities keep a vigil on these processions which, many believe, create an anti-Indian sentiment in the region.
Last year, three mourners from Gund Hassi Bhat, Srinagar were booked under UAPA by the police for chanting pro-freedom slogans in the Muharram processions and were later arrested by the police.
Meanwhile, Ruhullah Mehdi has condemned the arrest of two mourners. Former Cabinet Minister and National Conference leader Ruhullah Mehdi has castigated police for arresting two Shia mourners for carrying a flag reading “Oppressed Kashmir” during a procession on the day of Ashoora.
“Two guys from Shareefabad held a flag reading “Oppressed Kashmir” in 10th Moharram procession in Budgam. Police responds by booking them under oppressive UAPA to prove that they are not oppressed,” he tweeted.
He further wrote, “This model of policing should be adopted by every democracy in the world.”
Another mourner from Shareefabad HMT, Srinagar, Maqsood Hussain (27), a private teacher by profession was the second person booked under the UAPA.
However, Maqsood’s mother told The Kashmiriyat that the whole of the village took part in the Ashoora procession in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
“My son also took part in the 10th Muharram procession. What’s wrong with that? If that’s a sin, then I beg you to withdraw the case,” Maghal, Maqsood’s mother said.
His mother said that the police had to do its job and hence, they were doing it. “They are being pressurized by higher officials to arrest them,” Maqsood’s mother said.
However, The Kashmiriyat contacted the Budgam police station and the police officials here told us that the case was already registered regarding the incident, however, “They have not been arrested yet.”