Day’s after Government Minister’s cavalcade was attacked in Ratnipora area of South Kashmir Pulwama district, Government Forces launched a nocturnal crackdown in different areas of the district and arrested 30 persons including Amir-e-Jammat-e-Islami and two brothers.Government Forces arrested 22 youths most of them minors from Ratnipora area when they cordoned off the area during late night hours and started a search operation to flush out the alleged stone-pelters. “It was a scary night. Government Forces arrived in the area in armoured vehicles during the dead of the night. Scores of houses were raied and 22 youths, out of 18 are minors were dragged out from their houses, bundled into vehicles and whisked away toward unknown destination,” the locals of Ratnipora told news agency CNS.The locals said that government forces targeted mostly minors. “Some are Class 7th students. They are innocent and we don’t know why Forces targeted them,” they said.Locals added that people didn’t sleep whole night and utilized all resources to know whereabouts of the arrested youth.
Locals identified some of the arrested youth as Waseem Ahmed Reshi, Farooq Ahmed Bhat and Muhammad Yousuf Ganaie.Nocturnal raids were also conducted in Gulshan Abad Rajpora where Government Forces arrested three persons including two brothers Nazir Ahmed Dar and Irshad Ahmed Dar, sons of Ghulam Nabi Dar. Besides, one more person Muhammad Aslam Dar son of Muhammad Akbar Dar was picked up during night raid in Drabgam area of the district. Locals informed that night raids were also conducted in Kakpora area where government forces apprehended four persons Nazir Khaliq Dar, Aziz Mushtaq, Azhar Yousuf Lonw and Basit Bashir Wagay.Sources said that Amir-e-Jamat Islami Pulwama Reyaz Ahmed Bhat was arrested during a night raid in Reenzpora village of Awantipora. However, a police official said that he was released and handed ove to his family members after questioning. The official said that those picked up different raids are known stone-pelters. (CNS)