Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik was detained on Saturday in Khanyar while he was on way to Nowhatta to take part in a protest called by the Joint Resistance Leadership.The part spokesman said police party headed by SP Sajad near Gousia hospital Khanyar stopped Malik’s vehicle started showering ‘choosiest abuses’ on JKLF chairman and the whole resistance movement.According to the statement, “The SP was endlessly calling resistance camp as terrorists and threatening to kill them all. Malik objected to his misbehaviour and asked him to show some restraint however he kept abusing him and the resistance leadership.” The spokesman added that SP ordered the police party to attack Yasin Malik and obliging their seniors’ order policemen assaulted on JKLF chairman, injured him and virtually dragged him to police station Khanyar from where he along with another JKLF leader Bashir Kashmiri were shifted to police station Kothibagh.Meanwhile Mirwaiz, who tweeted the footage of his arrest, condemned the “police assault and manhandling of Malik”.“Strongly condemn police assault, manhandling and arrest of JKLF chief #YasinMalik by police when he was on way to #JamaMasjid to take part in a peaceful protest against unabated killings of Youth ,use of force on student and continuous illegal arrests of leaders by NIA,” tweeted Mirwaiz.
However police statement issued refutes the allegation. Police said, “Facts pertaining to the situation are that a team from police station Khanyar was on a routine Naka duty when at around 12:10 PM today afternoon a Sedan Car Honda CRV bearing registration No DL3C AK 2197 was intercepted by the naka party. The travelers inside the car were requested to produce the registration papers of the said car”.Police added that , however the travelers inboard which included JKLF Chief Yasin Malik and Bashir Kashmiri instead of producing papers created obstruction in the lawful duty.“In this connection Police has initiated action under relevant provision of law. Allegations circulated in certain sections of media pertaining to alleged harassment to these individuals is strongly rebutted”, police added. (PTK)