Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 15: As Kashmir valley observed strike against arrest of youth and separatist leaders ahead and after Parliamentary elections, at least 44 stone pelters today surrendered before the Police in North Kashmir while they have launched a massive manhunt against those who are evading arrest.
Thirty eight youth including minors who were wanted by Sopore Police on charges of stone pelting surrendered before Sopore police today. These youth were allegedly involved in stone pelting in Sopore town that witnessed large scale stone pelting and protests ahead of polls and after polls in Baramulla Parliamentary constituency on May 7. The clashes during stone in North Kashmir led to injuries to scores of youth and police and CRPF personnel.
A senior police official said that surrendered youth and their parents gave written assurance to police that they will not indulge in stone pelting in future. They were, however, later released by police.
Police had arrested 18 youth ahead of and after polls in Baramulla constituency and 14 were released. The names of these 38 youth figured in the police investigations and after police hunt they surrendered today. The police official said that these 38 youth were first time stone pelters and most of them were minors.
Police counseled these boys and asked them not to destroy their careers. Their parents were also asked to keep an eye on their children and make them understand not to take law into their hands.
In the meantime six stone pelters who were evading arrests in Hajan area of district Bandipora surrendered before police at Hajin today.
A police official said that these six stone pelters were involved in recent cases of violence and stone pelting incidents in Hajin area and were evading arrest.
These stone pelters who surrendered today are Manzoor Ahmad Dar son of Sonaullah Dar, Ghulam Jeelani Dar son of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar, Mumtaz Ahmad Dar son of Farooq Ahmad Dar, Abdul Hamid Rather son of Sonaullah Rather, Showkat Ahmad Khan son of Mohammad Yousuf Khan and Azhar-ud-din Dar son of Mohammad Akbar residents of Shah Gund, Hajin.
Police said that a massive man hunt has been launched against the stone pelters who created disturbance during Parliamentary polls.
And life in Kashmir valley today remained paralysed against arrest of youth and separatist leaders in response to a strike call given by Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Shops and business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed in Srinagar in response to the strike call while traffic on the roads was skeletal. However, some shops in civil line areas were open.
Government offices and banks recorded thin attendance and police and paramilitary forces were deployed at sensitive places to tackle any trouble during the strike.
In the meantime, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, NA Baba on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora, Dr. Shah Faisal suspended 21 employees for remaining absent from the duty. These employees belong to the departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture, Education, Social Welfare, besides Hydraulic Division and Fund Office.
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