March 26
Shabir Khan
Government forces in a pre-dawn raid on Tuesday arrested at least seven youths from north Kashmir’s Sopore on charges of stone-pelting.
Sources told The Kashmiriyat that a joint team of Government forces cordoned Janwara area of of Sopore and raided several residential houses and detained at least seven residents.
They said that the Forces conducted the raids in early hours of Tuesday morning creating panic in the whole area
A police official confirming the arrests to The Kashmiriyat said that the youths have been detained over charges of stone pelting.
The Indian Government has started a massive crackdown against religious and political outfits in Kashmir since October last year which intensified after the Pulwama attack on February 14 when a local Pulwama boy rammed his car into a CRPF convoy killing 49 of their men.
Various religious clerics have been barred from leading Friday prayers at various places in South Kashmir including the Shopian and Pulwama districts and after the Pulwama attack, Jamaat e Islami was banned by the Indian Home ministry.
Last week the Government also banned Yasin Malik’s JKLF.
At least 200 pro Freedom activists were arrested, most of whom have been released, many including the chairman of JKLF, Mohammed yasin Malik have been booked under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Also, prominent religious cleric, Mushtaq Ahmed Veeray, Aijaz Ahmed Noori of Pulwama have been also booked under PSA.