 Asif Iqbal Naik
Early Times Report
KISHTWAR, Sept 25 : After a wait of over 70 days, the government last night launched a massive crack down against separatists and anti-national elements, alleged to be posing a threat to peace and tranquility in the district, and booked two of them under PSA.
One was arrested for instigating youth to raise anti-national slogans on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha on September 13, 2016 while another person, who was wanted in many FIRs, gave a slip to the police team.
After the crack down, the administration imposed curfew in the town and its peripheral areas as a precautionary measures to thwart any attempt of separatists to disturb peace in the communally sensitive district.
Police sources said curfew was imposed by the district administration after the supporters of separatists booked under PSA tried to prevent their shifting outside Kishtwar. During the Kashmir unrest, they were alleged to have incited anti-national feelings in the district.
Sources said police raided residences of Molvi Abdul Qayoom Mattoo, Saif Ud Din Bagwan and Firdous Ahmad Bagwan and arrested them around 1:30 am. The raids led to protests with locals demanding immediate roll back of PSA and release of the arrested persons, forcing police to use force on them. Mattoo was booked under PSA during 2013 Kishtwar communal riots also and his PSA was later quashed by the court.
Police also raided the residence of Imam Bunistan Masjid, Qari Manzoor Hussain Ganai, but he manage to give slip to the police party amid protests by the people living in his neighbourhood.
Qari Manzoor, according to police, was wanted for his alleged role in inciting people to raise anti-national slogans.
As soon as police conducted raid on Qari's Bunastan residence, locals made announcements from the loudspeakers of the local mosque and asked people to came out of their residences and raise anti-national slogans.
"Police had to fire tear gas shells and use lathicharge to disperse the protesters in bus stand area," eye witnesses said.
Later, around 4 am, police vehicles made round of Kishtwar town and announced imposition of curfew in the town and its adjoining areas. "Stay home, don't come out as curfew has been imposed," cops announced. While Qayoom Mattoo and Saifudin Bagwan were shifted to Jammu's Kot-Balwal jail, Firdous was lodged in Kishtwar police lock up.
Sources said after the last night police raids, several people, who were wanted by police under sedition charges, had gone underground and police had launched manhunt to arrest them.
Meanwhile, situation remained normal in the district today and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
It is pertinent to mention that a total of 18 persons, including two government teachers, were booked under sedition charges for raising anti-national slogans on the eve of eid on September 13 last.
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