Thaindian News

Srinagar, July 31 (IANS) People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti and hardline Hrriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani were placed under house arrest by authorities here to prevent them visiting north Kashmir’s Sopore town where a youth died in police custody Sunday.

“A police contingent prevented Mehbooba Mufti as she came out of the Gupkar Road residence of her father, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, this (Sunday) afternoon. Mehbooba Mufti wanted to visit Sopore town where a youth has died in (police) custody,” PDP spokesman Naeem Akhtar told IANS.

Earlier, authorities placed Geelani under house arrest in his uptown Hyderpora residence.

Geelani also intended to visit his hometown and political stronghold Sopore where 26-year old Nazim Rashid, alias Anjum, died in police custody.

Acting swiftly, the state government attached a deputy superintendent of police and placed two other cops under suspension in connection with the youth’s death in police custody.

An FIR under section 302 (murder) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) has been registered in the youth’s death.

State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted three strong comments on his twitter account, assuring stringent action against those cops responsible for the youth’s death.

Omar, however, regretted that no action would bring the slain youth back to life.

Tension is running high in Sopore town where the authorities handed over the youth’s body for burial to the family after a team of doctors carried out post-mortem examination of the body which has been videographed as evidence in this case.