The senior Hurriyat (G) leader and the chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Shabir Ahmad Shah on Saturday condemned the "arbitrary arrests" in Pulwama and Palhallan during nocturnal raids and alleged vandalising of properties.He also castigated authorities for carrying out shelling during nights and arresting fathers in lieu of their sons.Shah also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of lives due to fire accident in Ramban and expressed solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved families and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.In a statement issued to CNS, Shah alleged that police during nocturnal raids is harassing the people and carries out arbitrary arrests of innocent youths thereby ruining their careers.
He said Palhallan is deliberately targeted for harbouring the "pro-freedom sentiments and the youths of this place are made victims of political vengeance. He expressed solidarity with Palhallan people saying they will not be left alone."The DFP Chairman while severely condemning the "police atrocities upon the pro-freedom people of Pulwama and Kakapora said people are victimised and terrorised and made handicapped by targeting them with lethal weapons like pellet guns and pepper gas."Lashing out at state administration, Shah said the government is hell bent upon terrorising the youth and ruining their careers.Terming the setting up of CRPF camp in HMT, Zainakote as “anti-people”, Shabir Ahmad Shah said the presence of military camp amid population is not less than a tragedy.“Such anti-people moves give rise to tragedies and killings of youths. We demand the removal of the CRPF camp in the area,” Shah said.