400 Kashmiris held since Friday as Indian forces continue crackdown in IHK
SRINAGAR (KMS) – In Occupied Kashmir, there is no let-up in the crackdown on leaders and workers as over 400 have been arrested by Indian forces since Friday.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Atul Kumar Goel, confirmed the arrest of 200 JI members in South Kashmir alone. The detainees include the elderly and ailing persons.
Sixty-two-year-old deputy Ameer of Jamaat, Ahmadullah Parray Makki, was picked up from his home in Khiram village of Bijbehara along with 15 other JI activists and was lodged in Mattan jail.
Most of the JI activists in Islamabad district were also picked up in Dochnipora and Arwani areas. Some activists were arrested in Kokernag and Dilagam villages. Night raids continued in Kulgam district particularly in Redwani, Kujar, Frisal, Yaripora, Bogam, Bochroo, Bolsoo, Okay, Mohammadpora and Tarigam.
Former JI Ameer, octogenarian Sheikh Ghulam Hassan, who was detained despite being Bedridden was released on Monday, but was asked to report at the police station again.
In the crackdown, even sympathizers and kin of JI workers, who are not affiliated with the organisation, have been booked. Many families said that before the mass arrests, the army has profiled some JI workers and called them to their camps. Several police officials on condition of anonymity confirmed to media that there were no charges against the detained workers.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islam in a statement issued in Srinagar condemned the arrest of its leaders and activists and said it seems that those who currently rule are resorting to unethical tactics aimed at addressing their own electoral constituencies and garnering votes out of this approach even at the cost of basic human values which remain the essence of any democratic set-up.