Ahead of polls on May 6, police arrests youth in Pulwama, Shopian
Shopian/Pulwama: Ahead of the scheduled parliamentary elections for Anantnag Parliamentary seat, government forces have arrested over 50 youth during the last few days in South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian districts. The south Kashmir seat went to polls in three phases and the last leg of the scheduled polls is to be held on May 6.
Locals from different areas of Pulwama and Shopian district said that forces have been conducting nocturnal raids and over fifty youth have been arrested from various areas so far.
Inhabitants of Murran and Kangan areas of South Kashmir’s Pulwama said that at least 23 youth were arrested from the twin villages during nocturnal raids during intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
Local from Keegam area of Shopian district said that forces arrested at least four youth from their residences a day before.
The arrested youths have been identified as Ashiq Bhat, son of Nazir Ahmad Bhat, 28; Sameer Shah, son of Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, 24; Ashiq Ahmad Lone, son of Muhammad Maqbool Lone, 28 and Aqib Dar, son of Bashir Ahmad, 25.
Witnesses said that on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, forces arrested 11 youth from Gudoora Pulwama, 9 from Kakapora Pulwama, 8 from Newa Pulwama and four from Awantipora area of the district.
Sources identified the arrested youth from Gudoora as Ishfaq Dar, Irshad Rasool, Suhail Mir, Rayees Rashid, Aiqamat Wagay, Shabnum Wagay, Moin Aslam, Asif Ashsaf, Muzzafar Ahmad, Mukhtar Lone and Nasir Khan.
Sources identified the arrested youth from Newa area as Bilal Bhat, Mujeeb Khan, Nassur Sofi, Mudasir Khan, Ishfaq Sofi, Dilawar Sofi, Showkeen Ahmad and Ikhlas Khan.
Sources identified the arrested youth from Kakapora area as Suhaib Manzoor, Rayees Bhat, Asif Lone, Aabid Mir, Shahzad Bhat, Rameez Raja, Mudasir Bhat, Jahangeer Bhat and Bashir Bhat.
The sources said that the arrested youth from Awantipora area were identified as Junaid Parry, Bilal Parry, Amir Farooq and Javaid Ahmad Sheikh.
Apart from arresting locals from the twin districts sources said that hundreds of youth were called to different police camps where they are advised to remain peaceful on eve of the elections.
Meanwhile, a police official said that some youth were detained for their involvement in stone pelting on government forces while as some were arrested for questioning.
Jahangeer Ganaie
