Kupwara: When court granted them bail, the family of two persons from Kupwara thought they would be released and return home from prison after nearly two months.
The state however resorted to what has been described as “lawless law” by amnesty international and both, Firdous Ahmad Shah son of Bashir Ahmad Shah and Adil Hussain Shah son of Ghulam Mohammad Shah, residents of Shatmuqam Lolab, were slapped with PSA and sent to Kotbalwal jail.
Both were arrested in rifle snatching incident that took place at Chaiwan Lolab, native village of slain local militant Bilal Ahmad, nearly two months ago.
Officials documents accessed by the INS disclosed that district magistrate Kupwara, on the recommendation of Superintendent of police Kupwara, approved the detention of the duo under Public Safety Act.
The duo according to the dossier, have been declared a threat for the smooth conduct of Panchayat elections scheduled to be held across the Valley in next month.
“Adil being a hard core associate of militants is a constant threat to the security of state and needs to be prevented…. In view of the present scenario especially when the state is going to Panchayat elections which is likely to be disrupted by the subject and the activities of the subject being highly prejudicial to the security of the state and if not halted immediately can become a huge threat to the peaceful atmosphere of the state as well as to the sovereignty and integrity of the country.” The dossier of other youth is a similar read.
On Friday the duo was granted bail by the court of 1st class magistrate Sogam after 52 days of detention, Adil’s father said.
“We were shocked to know that instead of being released, they have been booked under PSA,” he said, adding, “None of our family members were allowed to meet while were shifted to Kothbolwal jail,”
Before booking them, he said, authorities should have at least communicated to any of family members about the detention order.
