Local youth being harassed in run-up to G20 event in J&K, alleges Mehbooba

Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today alleged that youths are being arrested ahead of the G20 meeting to be held in Srinagar next month from May 20 to 23.

PDP president alleged that in the name of the G20 meeting, hundreds of local youth have been taken into custody.

“In Pulwama district alone, 60 youths have been arrested. Youths are being called to police stations, especially in south Kashmir, ahead of the G20 meeting. In south Kashmir, hundreds of youth have been put behind bars,” Mufti alleged.

Mufti asked if the situation has improved in J&K, then why are common people harassed? Mufti termed the incident of Poonch incident, in which five army men were killed, as unfortunate. “We hope that it will be investigated how this incident took place in a high-security zone where there is a huge presence of the army. A proper investigation should take place on how this incident happened,” she said.

The former CM said that after the Poonch terror attack, a large number of locals are subjected to torture. She also questioned the death of civilian Mukthair Shah during custody. “The family members of Shah are asking how did he commit suicide in police or army custody. After 2019 many incidents took place where people got killed in custody. “

Earlier, former chief minister Farooq Abdullah had also termed the Poonch attack as a big security lapse and asked the government not to harass common people.