Video showing Kashmiri boys ‘paraded’ naked by forces sparks outrage
Tripathy, Sagar reject charges, say clip ‘doctored’ to ‘malign’ forces
Srinagar Sept 08:
A three minute video clip purportedly showing some young Kashmiri
boys being paraded naked by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
and police in Sopore town of North Kashmir has triggered outrage in
the valley.
The clip titled ‘Indian Army repeating Abu Gharib in Kashmir’ is doing
rounds on the popular social networking site, Facebook after it was
uploaded by a user on the intervening night of September 6-7. The
video shot with a mobile phone camera at an unknown location shows
several alleged stone pelters being paraded naked by the troops and
police through paddy fields. The video has been packaged with
subtitles and background music.
“This video should be avoided by sisters and children. This video
contains disturbing scenes of brutality unleashed by soldiers on
Kashmiri young men in Sopore region of the Valley. In this video young
men have been stripped naked and are being paraded through their
village by soldiers. Viewer’s discretion (is) highly recommended,”
the ‘statutory warning’ on the clip says.
In the clip, authenticity of which is yet to be established, CRPF men
and police are hurling choicest abuses at the youth allegedly detained
during clashes between protesters and the forces. The stripped youth
are also forced to raise their hands leaving their private parts
uncovered. The security men are also heard mocking the plight of the
detained youth.
Mystery also shrouds the person operating the mobile camera. The place
and the year the video has been shot are also unclear.
The video has sent shockwaves and stirred a debate among the tens of
thousands of users on Facebook. The video shared by Kashmiri youth
with their online friends and contacts has evoked sharp condemnation
from the Facebook users across the globe, including India. Some of
the users have even compared the abuse of the alleged stone pelters by
the forces with the prisoners of infamous Abu Gharib jail in Iraq.
“I am daughter of an Indian army officer. I’m embarrassed and
shocked,” comments, Avleen Gill, a graduate from Saint Bede’s college.
Asrar Nazir, a Kashmiri, writes that Aman Goth, the General in
Hitler’s Army was hanged in public for parading Jews naked in a
concentration camp in Poland. In India, he says, “democracy exists on
papers only.”
“It’s a shocking and brutal act. Is this the democracy India is proud
of?” he adds.
Another Kashmiri Facebook user, “Karim Nanvor” comments that he was
not surprised by the video as double standards were the bench mark of
civilized nations.
“World sees India as a rising power which can do nothing wrong. It is
our duty to keep world updated.”
Kaptaan Singh, a resident of North India’s Punjab state comments:
“After looking at this video, I feel ashamed to call myself Indian.”
Noted human rights activist and Program Coordinator of Jammu and
Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Khurram Parvez said that
such incidents were not new and have occurred in the last 20 years of
conflict, especially in jails and interrogation camps where youth were
subjected to severe physical torture.
“There is nothing new in the video clip. Stripping off the detainees,
parading them naked and inserting wire in their private parts was a
normal practice in jails and interrogation centers. The video has
created a furor because it has been released in public domain,”
Khurram said.
“Now we have to see how the civil society reacts to this revelation.
We have to see if this clip pricks the conscience of Indian masses,”
he adds.
Pertinently, last year police had allegedly forced 11 youth to
sodomize each other during their detention at Maharaj Gunj police
station on the charges of stone pelting. Police, according to the
counsel of the youth, Advocate Bashir Sidiq had also filmed the
incident.
Refuting the allegations, CRPF, spokesperson, Prabhakar Tripathi said
the modern technology has made it possible to create video clips
easily. The clip in question, he said, was the handiwork of the people
who want to harm the image of the force.
“There is not even one percent truth in the video. It has been
manipulated to malign the image of our men. I categorically deny its
contents,” he added.
Minister for Rural Development, Law, Justice and Parliamentary
Affairs, Ali Mohammad Sagar raised question over the authenticity of
the clip.
“I doubt the authenticity of the video clip. Forces cannot indulge in
such immoral activities. However, if proven, stern action will be
initiated,” Sagar said.......................................................
Police arrests 16 youth from Srinagar, Baramulla
Srinagar Sept 08:
across Srinagar and Baramulla district, reports and officials told
Newspoint Wednesday.
Reports and officials said that police arrested at least 14 youth from
different areas of the old city for their alleged role in stone
pelting on troops and police. The youth have been booked under
different charges. The arrested youth have been identified as Umar
Mushtaq Khan, son of Mushtaq Ahmad, Sajad Ali, son of Ali Mohammad
Dar, Umar Asif Zargar, son of Ghulam Mohammad, Imran Ahmad Bhat, son
of Mushtaq Ahmad, Nazim Bashir Khan, son of Bashir Ahmad, Junaid
Farooq Khan, son of Farooq Ahmad, Irshad Ahmad Bhat, son of Mushtaq
Ahmad, Barkat Rafiq Hazari, son of Rafiq Ahmad, Atif Ayub Shah, son of
Mohammad Ayub, Nasir Zahoor Misgar, son of Zahoor Ahmad, Ishtaq Ahmad
Zargar, son of Late Abdul Gani, Irshad Ahmad Zargar, son of Abdul
Gani, Gowhar Nazir Bhat, son of Late Nazir Ahmad all residents of
Chota Bazar and Hamid Ali Bhat, son of late Gulzar Hussain resident of
Guroo Bazar.
“A case FIR No 99 under section 307,147,427,148,336,341 RPC has been
registered at police Station Shaheed Gunj in this regard,” officials
added.
Meanwhile, two youth were also arrested by police in Sheeri area of
Baramulla district.
Reports from North Kashmir said that Amir Parvez, son of Parvez Ahmad
Rather and Manzoor Ahmad, son of Abdur Rahim Ganai were arrested by
police early this morning on the charges of stone pelting.
Amir’s father, reports said had died years back when suspected
militants had attacked the rally of former deputy chief minister and
senior PDP leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig in the district years ago.
.............................................................................
Curfew continues in Srinagar, Ananatnag
18 hurt in fresh clashes
Srinagar Sept 08:
At least eighteen people were injured, five of them seriously, infresh action of violence in valley while curfew continued in parts of
Srinagar and Annanatnag district for the second day on Wednesday.
Official sources said that the curfew remained in force in the
Srinagar city and Ananatnag and Bijbehara towns in south Kashmir.
Nowhatta, Gojwara, Rajouri Kadal, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal,
Kawdara, Hawal and other areas of the old city. Batmaloo, Maisuma,
Kralkhud of the uptown Srinagar were also placed under curfew.
Restrictions and shutdown called by Hurriyat Conference (G) crippled
life elsewhere in the summer capital.
Despite the restrictions,demonstrators clashed with police and the
paratroopers at Habak Hazratbal, Telbal, Sabzi Mandi Soura, and
Galwanpora Hyderpora.
In Habak, reports and witnesses said people took to streets this
morning to protest
Police later chased away the protesters by firing teargas canisters
and fire rubber pallets.
One youth, Bhat bilal of Habak received injury and was shifted to SKIMS.
people also took to streets and staged protests against the police and
CRPF for allegedly breaking window panes in Darish Kadal and Safa
Kadal. Reports of protests against alleged ransacking of houses by
police and CRPF were also received from Dangerpora area in Eidgah.
A sexagenarian identified as Ghulam Mohidin Guru has sustained stone
injury in head and he was shifted to SKIMS.
Police and CRPF also used forces to chase away a group of youth who
attacked SDA complex at Bemina area in outskirts of here. The
agitators also torched a truck (JK01C-7236), officials said. A few
youth sustained minor injuries in action by police
curfew also continued in Ananatnag and Bijbhera towns.
Five persons were injured, one of them with pallet wounds, in
Ganderbal district of central Kashmir where youth clashed with police
and CRPF at Duderhama and Beehama area.
The youth who sustained pallet injury in the leg has been identified
as Showkat Ahmed Khan son of Abdul Ahad. He was admitted in SKIMS
where, his condition stated to stable. The 14-year-old has sustained
femur fracture in right thigh, the doctors at the tertiary hospital
said.
Medical Superintendent of SKIMS, Dr Mohammad Amin Tabish said that ten
patients were admitted in the hospital today.
“We received ten patients today. One among them Ghulam Mohidin Guru
(60) is seriously,” he said.
Police version
Situation across the valley remained by and large peaceful barring few
incidents of stone pelting at Behama Chowk in Ganderbal, Main Chowk in
Sopore, Habak crossing and Sabzi Mandi Soura,and Telbal,Chatabal in
Srinagar, Galwanpora Hyderpora in Budgam.
Near Telbal on Foreshore road in Hazratbal mobs of
miscreants pelted stones and erected hurdles on the road .The pelted
stones bouldes on the police and CRPF.The forces used mild lathie
charge and tear smoke to disburse the mob. However, the miscreants did
not relent.The police was forced to use palletsin which one person
namely Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Mohammed Ramzan resident of Telbal
wasinjuredand has been hospitalized. His condition is stable.
One miscreant Showkat Ahmed Khan s/o Abdul Ahad r/o Behama, Ganderbal
received plastic pallet injury in his leg when the mob did not relent
and continued with throwing stones, bricks and police had to use
pallets. His condition is out of danger.
A group of miscreants resorted to pelting stones near SDA complex
Bemina. The unruly mob torched a truck bearing registration number
JK01C-7236. Police chased them away using mild lathie charge and tear
smoke shells.
Stone pelting was also reported from Chatabal in Srinagar. Police used
tear smoke shells, and some pallets to disperse the mob. One stone
pelter namely Ubaid Ahmad son of Mehraj u din resident of Chhatabal
has got injured in leg. His condition is stable....................
..............................................................................
Geelani taken into preventive custody
Srinagar, Sept 08:
Police on Wednesday took separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani
under preventive custody to bar him from organizing a program in
Hazratbal Shrine on ensuing Eid-ul-Fitr.
Official sources said the octogenarian leader, who heads the breakaway
faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, was arrest at around
noon from his Hyderpora residence immediately after addressing media
men. He has been shifted to the Humhama police station in central
Kashmir’s Badgam district, they added.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Aftab Ahmad Kakroo said that
separatist leader was arrested under CrPC sections, 107 (breach of the
peace or disturb the public tranquility by instigating people) and 151
(Design to commit any cognizable offence).
“Mr Geelani had invited media and we had inputs that he was to lead
people soon after. On these apprehensions which might have caused law
and problem, we took him into preventive custody,” he said.
This is for the second time during the prevailing unrest that the
separatist was arrested. Earlier, he was arrested on June 20 and kept
in Chesmashahi hut before his release on August 04.
Geelani, who has been spearheading protests in the Kashmir, had
Geelani avowed to offer the congregational Eid prayers at Hazratbal
shrine, managed by ruling National Conference backed Waqf board.
Earlier addressing the reporters, Geelani asserted that he was being
arrested to prevent him from offering the prayers at the Hazratbal on
the Eid which would be celebrated either on next Friday or Saturday,
depending on the sighting of moon.
“My arrest will not make any difference. We have given five-points to
Government of India for revisiting the ongoing protests,” he said.
The five points put forth by the separatist to New Delhi including
acceptance of Kashmir as an “international dispute”, Withdrawal of
troops to be supervised by a credible agency like United Nations,
release of political prisoners and youth, withdrawal of the Armed
Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) and
action against those security or police personnel behind the killing
69 innocent Kashmiris.
“If there is a positive response, we will revisit the agitation
program and incase it is negative or New Delhi continues with its
policy of silence, the peaceful protests would carry on with more
vigorously,” he added.
.................................................................................................
Sheikh Abdullah remembered
Srinagar Sept 08:
minister Farooq Abdullah Wednesday led party workers and supporters in
paying tributes to party founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at his
Hazratbal mausoleum, on his 28th death anniversary.
Omar along with Farooq and other party leaders also paid floral
tributes to Sheikh. Speaking on the occasion, Farooq said under
Sheikh Abdullah’s leadership the Kashmiri people had broken free from
the shackles of monarchy, poverty and illiteracy while land rights
were granted to the tiller.
“Despite tremendous hardships Sheri-Kashmir fought for the political,
economic, and social rights of his people,” he said.
Farooq said the National Conference had withered storms in the past
and would continue to work for the welfare and rights of the people of
the state. He appealed party workers to work for the betterment of
people and expressed hope that the traditional support of peasants,
workers, labourers, tillers enjoyed by the party would serve as an
encouraging force to the party in future as well.
He also released a book on the occasion containing the historical
background of National Conference and “the outstanding and selfless
efforts of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah for the welfare of the State and
its people.”................
(curtsy PBI...Pix Zulfiqar khan)
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