Disabled girl booked for stone pelting

Islamabad, Dec 31 : Police detained 17- year old disabled girl for her alleged involvement in stone pelting during the 2010 summer unrest.

She was booked under attempt to murder and other serious offences. However, she was released after court granted interim bail to her.

Police detained, Zahida Akhtar daughter of Ghulam Ahmad Dar of Batengoo area here in held Kashmir. “ Zahida was summoned by the police to the Saddar Police Station, Islamabad on the pretext that they had to seek some information regarding the bullet injury she received in 2010 but was later detained by them,” said the family members.

They said that her brother who accompanied her to the police station was told by the cops there that she has a case of stone pelting pending against her and would be released only after getting bail.

They said that Zahida had received a bullet injury in her leg when the forces fired upon the funeral procession of Maroof Ahmad Nath during the 2010 summer agitation.

The body of Maroof Nath was fished out from the river Jehlum days after he had drowned in it while being chased away by the forces.  The forces had fired on the funeral procession of the deceased at two different places resulting into the killing of Bilal Ahmad Najar and Noor-ul-Amin Dagga while others including Zahida received bullet injuries. Pertinently, a case stands registered against the two deceased persons as well as the injured in this connection. “Zahida has been also been booked under same charges as those of deceased and other persons who were injured on that day,” sources said.

Police said that Zahida was involved `in stone pelting during the 2010 summer unrest.

“Zahida was involved in stone pelting during the 2010 summer unrest and was booked under various charges including attempt to murder,” a police official told Greater Kashmir.

He said that a case FIR no 355/2010 US 307, 148, 149, 188, 336, 427 RPC and ¾ Prevention of Public Property Act stands registered against the girl.

However, the family members contest the police claim saying that she was implicated on frivolous grounds.

“My daughter has never been involved in stone pelting and on the day she received bullet injury she had gone to her relatives house in Islamabad when the funeral procession was fired upon,” said Zahida’s mother.

She said that since then Zahida is on medication and cannot walk without any support. “My daughter cannot spend a single moment without me. I don’t know how she has would have spent the whole night in the Police Station, where there are only male inmates,” said Mukhtee.

She alleged the policemen did not even allow them to provide her medicines and blanket.

“Though her sister was allowed to accompany her only after we pleaded to the cops but I am worried about her and could not sleep the whole night,” said Mukhtee.

The family lives in abject poverty in a small muddy house.
“My husband and me are both aged and ailing. Our sons who live separately toil hard to support us as well as their own families,” said she.

Zahida’s brother Adil Dar said: “I don’t know what my ailing sister has done that she has suddenly become threat to the state.”
He said that his sister is only 17 and was in 7th standard when she received the bullet injury.

“Zahida could not pursue her studies further as she was rendered handicapped due to the bullet injury and was forced to leave her studies midway,” said Adil.

“If mourning the death of your loved ones killed in forces firing is a crime then the government should punish all the Kashmiris,” said Adil.

He said that it is a matter of shame that even our sisters are being booked on “false charges.”

Meanwhile reports said that Zahida was released after her family members managed to get interim bail.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Anantang, RK Jalla when contacted said, “The girl had a case of stone pelting of 2010 registered against her and was hence arrested.”

He said the girl was released on bail. Asked about the age of the girl the SSP said that she was 25.

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