SRINAGAR : Fear has gripped militancy-hit south Kashmir districts of Pulwama and Shopian as security forces are carrying out daily nocturnal raids to arrest youths, whom they think are “potential trouble mongers”.
“Raids are being conducted during the dead of the night, which has caused fear among people. Security forces ransack and damage household goods and harass inmates during the raids,” said Ghulam Rasool Pandit of Karimabad, Pulwama.
He claimed his 20-year-old son Mommun Rasool, a second-year commerce student at Degree College, Pulwama, was arrested during a raid on August 8. Pandit said his son was shifted to Central Jail, Srinagar, and from there to Agra jail after being booked under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).
Like Srinagar, security forces remain deployed in strength in all sensitive areas and districts headquarters of south Kashmir comprising four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian.
“Our house at Darhamdora, Keegam village of Shopian was raided. Our household goods ransacked and my daughter was beaten,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Hurra. “Fear has gripped the entire village and now we don’t consider ourselves safe in our houses,” he said.
Another villager Bashir Ahmad Wani said his house was also raided. “They told us law has changed and now it (law) is in their hands,” he said adding that many electronic items damaged by the security forces during the raid .
The residents of Awantipora in Pulwama said the police have detained 20-25 boys so far.