Conflict

Families of 3 Kashmiris arrested in Delhi hold demonstration in BJP rally, demand release of ‘innocent’ kin

PHOTO: KDC

Budgam: Family members of the three men from central Kashmir who were arrested by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell a few days ago, held a demonstration in BJP’s public rally in Budgam appealing the authorities to release their “innocent” kin.

The three men were arrested on charges of their alleged “links with ISI and Khalistani groups”

National general secretary BJP, Tarun Chug, UMoS Anurag Thakur and party’s spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain were also present when the families appeared in the rally, a local news agency KDC reported.

The family members, mostly women, assembled at the public rally and raised slogans – “we want justice”, “our sons are innocents”- seeking the release of the trio.

“The Delhi Police can verify the records of all the three persons through the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other government agencies. They are not involved in any illegal activities,” they said in front of BJP’S top leadership.

They said the Delhi Police Special Cell has “implicated them in a false case without justifying their involvement in any militant activity”.

The protesting family members said they want the higher-ups to intervene in the matter to secure the release of their kin.

Shabir Ahmed Gojri, Reyaz Ahmed Rather, and Muhammad Ayub Pathan, all residents of central Kashmir’s Budgam district were arrested on December 7, along with two Sikhs in New Delhi for their alleged “links with ISI and Khalistani groups”

Ever since the trio was arrested, their families have been protesting in Srinagar seeking immediate release of their kin.

On Friday, braving rain and cold, the families assembled in Press Enclave Srinagar alleging that Delhi Police like in past have “enacted a drama and implicated their loved ones in a fabricated case”.

The family members mostly women told reporters that these men are innocent and have nothing to do with militancy. “It is a white lie on part of Delhi police that these men have links with militant outfits. Back in Kashmir, all these men have a clean police record and never they have been detained in past,” they said.

“Is it a crime to visit Delhi for any work? My father runs a band saw and has nothing to do with militancy. He was in Delhi to purchase some material,” son of one of the arrested man Muhammad Ayoub Pathan said at press colony, Srinagar. Pathan is the father of three daughters and two sons.

Shaista-,wife of Shabir Ahmed Gojri said that her husband visits the shrine of Ajmeer Sharif every year and this time another youth from the same village Reyaz Ahmed accompanied him. “My husband had to pay obeisance at Ajmeer Sharif while Reyaz being a welding expert had to get some stuff from Delhi,” she said.

Ghulam Muhammad Palla said that Delhi based news channels blew the arrest of three Kashmiri youth out of proportion to raise their TRPs. “But the fact is that Shabir and Ayoub cast their vote in DDC polls before leaving for Delhi. Perhaps, they were arrested for showing faith in the ballot,” Palla said and demanded an impartial probe into the arrest of Kashmiri trio.

The family members of all these men while seeking the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh appealed Delhi Police to release them.

 

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