Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday searched the Srinagar’s MLA hostel, where the political detainees are lodged, police claim to have found 11 cellphones.
The hostel inmates have previously complained of family members’ harassment. The official twitter account of former J&K chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti which is now being handled by her daughter Iltija Mufti sent out a tweet saying that a detainee’s three-year-old son was “nearly strip searched”, which led to “an altercation between political detainees & JK police.”
SSP (Security), Kashmir, Imtiyaz Hussain has denied the accusation and also refused to discuss the matter further. ADGP (Security and Law & Order) Munir Khan also denied the accusation and said that 11 cellphones, which were smuggled inside, were recovered during the search. Khan told The Sunday Express: “Whatever she [Mufti] is saying…it is wrong. The MLA hostel is a notified subsidiary jail and as part of anti-sabotage check drill…we have recovered 11 cellphones that were smuggled [in] illegally. Investigation will be conducted”
Khan said that the detainees first denied being frisked. “We have to follow the drill. We cannot allow anyone to go unfrisked. How do you know what is going inside,” he asked.
On Saturday, families of the detained political leaders who had been visiting the leaders said protested against the alleged harassment.
Mehr Imran, Srinagar Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran’s wife and among the visitors to the subsidiary jail on Saturday, told The Sunday Express: “The security personnel deployed there are very rude and the families are being unnecessarily harassed. We come from reputed families. They can’t behave [with us] in such a manner. To protest against the harassment, all detainees lodged a strong protest against the authorities.”
According to the family members, they are allowed to visit the leaders on Wednesday and Saturday every week.
