Detained J&K leader’s son frisked, alleges kin

SRINAGAR, Nov 24, 2019, Hindustan Times. The two-year-old son of a National Conference leader, who is currently under detention at Srinagar’s MLA hostel, was allegedly frisked by security forces at the detention centre — a charge denied by the police, Hindustan Times reported.

The police said a raid was conducted in the hostel where they recovered mobile phones from detained leaders. According to a relative of the NC leader, the forces also frisked the toddler while he was in his mother’s lap during a visit to the hostel.

“The police unzipped the top of the boy and frisked him while he was in his mother’s lap. They also frisked a few other toddlers and an elderly woman who was visiting her son. This enraged the political leaders who launched a protest,” said the relative. “The leaders approached the police and were assured that this won’t be repeated,” he added.

Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti also tweeted that a detainee’s “3-year-old infant son was nearly strip searched & this resulted in an altercation between political detainees & JK police.”

Additional director general of police (ADGP), security, Muneer Khan, however, denied the allegation.

“It is absolutely wrong,” he said. He added, “We recovered 11 mobile phones from inside which had been smuggled into the premises.

Nearly 34 political leaders of mainstream parties in J&K, including the National Conference and Peoples’ Democratic Party, have been under detention since August 5.

They were shifted from a hotel to the government-owned MLA hostel in Srinagar on November 17.