Police reaches out to stone pelters in Baramulla

Srinagar: In a surprising development, the stone pelting youth of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday interacted with the top cops of the Valley.

Reliable sources told that a meeting between stone pelters and the top police administration was held at Gulnaar Park in the Baramulla town this afternoon. The meeting was presided over by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Shiv Murari Sahai, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) North Kashmir, Muneer Khan and other officials of the police department.

In the meeting that lasted for nearly 90 minutes, both the parties discussed various issues ranging from stone pelting, arrests, peaceful protests and rehabilitation of the stone pelters. The family members of several youth, booked on charges of stone pelting, were present on this occasion.

Quoting stone pelters, a youth told the top cops in the gathering that the presence of stone pelters in the meet should not be misconstrued as surrender. The stone pelters, he said, believe that Kashmir issue was a political issue that needs to be solved politically.

“The stone pelters want space for peaceful protests. They have pledged not to hurl stones, if allowed to stage protests in a peaceful manner,” the youth quoted the stone pelters of having said.

“They (stone pelters) want end to arrests and harassment by police,” he added.

Former councilor, Baramulla Municipal Committee (BMC) and National Conference (NC) activist Riyaz Ahmad Nagoo told that he took up the issue of shifting the detained youth from outside jails to Valley with the IG, Kashmir during the meet.

“I urged IG to forgive the stone pelting youth and shift them from Jammu jails to Valley on humanitarian grounds. He (IG) assured to consider my request,” Nagoo added.

“The youth asked the top cops to withdraw PSA’s against the stone pelters. They assured police of not resorting to stone pelting, if allowed to hold peaceful demonstrations,” a senior member of Auqaf-e-Islamia who attended the meet said on the condition of anonymity.

Among others who apprised Sahai about their difficulties was the family members of Parvaiz Ahmed Kaloo alias Meena Kumari, son of Abdul Ahad Kaloo of Ganaihaman who was arrested by police last month.

A youth who suffered serious injuries in eye during clashes also met the top police brass.

When contacted, IGP, Kashmir, however denied having any such meeting.   “I had no meeting with the stone pelters in the town,” IGP, Kashmir said.