J&K administration is dumping people in jails amid COVID-19 said Mehbooba Mufti
J&K Police arrested 21 people for organizing demonstrations in support of the Palestinian struggle
SRINAGAR (J&K) — Former Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State and President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti on Monday made a scathing attack on the Lieutenant Governor-led administration.
She said the authorities are ‘dumping people’ in jails amid the surging spread of Coronavirus cases in the Union Territory.
Mehbooba also criticized the slapping of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on two sons of deceased Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai.
“In spite of SCs clear directions to release prisoners on parole, J&K admin is instead dumping more people into jails. Ashraf Sehrai’s sons booked under UAPA is yet another example of how Kashmiri lives are devalued & intentionally endangered,” the PDP President tweeted through her official handle.
Pertinently, Mehbooba said this while quoting a news report which said that 72 inmates in a jail in Udhampur had tested positive for COVID-19.
Harish Kotwal, the Superintendent of the Udhampur Jail, told the media that inmate samples were collected yesterday, and 72 out of 479 inmates tested positive for COVID-19.
On the other hand, the sons of late Ashraf Sehrai have been charged under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for raising “anti-national slogans” at their father’s funeral on May 6, 2020, according to media reports quoting unnamed police officials.
Mujahid Sehrai and Rashid Sehrai, both sons of late Sehrai, were arrested from their home in the Bulbulbagh locality of Barzulla area in Srinagar city on Saturday night by Kupwara and Srinagar Police.
On Sunday, Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the Government of India (GOI), saying that the Public Safety Act (PSA) is the GOI’s only go-to tool for any crisis in Kashmir.
She had said that both the sons of Ashraf Sehrai, after losing their father in custody due to inadequate medical care, were arrested under Public Safety Act (PSA).
However, J&K Police in a tweet had rebutted the charges that they have been booked under the PSA and clarified that they were arrested for raising ‘anti-national slogans during the funeral of their father in Kupwara.
