SRINAGAR: A day after the separatists released pictures of Kashmiri prisoners beaten in Tihar jail, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday expressed concern over manhandling of Kashmiri detainees in New Delhi prison and talked to Union Home Secretary, who assured her of thorough probe into the incident.
“Mehbooba has expressed concern over the reports of alleged harassment and manhandling of some inmates from the State at Tihar Jail, in New Delhi,” an official spokesman said.
He said taking a serious view of these reports, the CM spoke to Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba and asked him to intervene in the matter.
The Union Home Secretary assured Mehbooba of a thorough probe into the incident and punishing the culprits for having violated the jail manual, the spokesman said.
The photographs of some Kashmiri prisoners beaten in Tihar Jail were released to media by separatist leaders yesterday.
The separatist leaders have alleged that 18 separatist leaders including Syed Shahid Yousuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salah-ud-Din were injured in merciless beating by Tamil Nadu Police.
According to Shahid’s family members, Shahid was beaten to pulp along with other inmates in Tihar jail.
“Shahid has suffered injuries in his head and shoulder,” they alleged.
They said they have filed a petition in Delhi High Court seeking shifting of Shahid to Central Jail, Srinagar.
Shahid’s family said that he was being punished for his father’s “political ideology”.
“The Kashmiri prisoners are facing life threats in Tihar as they have been lodged in barracks specified for criminals. We warn authorities that if any untoward happens to them, the local government shall have to face consequences,” they had warned.
Many top separatist leaders, who were arrested by NIA and ED in the Valley, are undergoing detention in Tihar jail.
On the call of separatists, Kashmir observed shutdown on Monday against to protest against the plight of prisoners in jails within and outside State.
Meanwhile, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik in a joint statement today expressed concern over plight of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Tihar and other jails.
“Beating of prisoners in Tihar jail is extremely inhuman and immoral act,” they said and termed it grave violation of human rights of a prisoner.
They alleged that the government is even ignoring the Supreme Court ruling which has clearly directed the state authorities to lodge detainees adjacent to their home cities’/
The leaders sought help from the international agencies to ensure safety of prisoners and demanded providing of suitable treatment to the Kashmiri prisoners injured in Tihar.
They also demanded shifting of Kashmiri prisoners to Valley jails.