The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday warned people against sharing social media posts protesting the arrest of a mother of a deceased militant, saying they will be charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The police described the posts as “anti-national” and said that sharing them amounted to “glorification of terrorist activities and threatening and denting the image of law enforcement agencies”.
This came days after Naseema Akhtar, a resident of Rampur in the Qaimoh area of Kulgam district, was booked under the UAPA for allegedly recruiting two militants and arranging arms and ammunition for them. She is currently lodged at a women’s police station in Anantnag.
Akhtar’s son, Tauseef Sheikh, was killed in an encounter with military forces in 2018, according to The Quint. She has been also accused of brandishing an automatic weapon while posing with her son for a photograph, according to the first information report filed at the DH Pora police station. The news of Akhtar’s arrest, along with the photograph, is being widely circulated on social media.
The police, however, said that all users uploading the posts have been identified and will soon be arrested. “Many social media posts have been generated and shared which have twisted the facts of the matter in order to cause disturbance of peace and tranquility,” it said. “[The] police has taken cognisance of the matter and anyone trying to instigate others through whatsoever means will be prosecuted against.”
In the FIR against Akhtar, the police had said that just because Akhtar happens to be a woman or the mother of a suspected militant does not make her immune to arrest, adding that anyone who wishes to challenge the decision is free to approach the court of law for redressal.
The accused’s sister, identified as Rafiqa Bano, told The Quint that the police launched a search operation for Akhtar on Thursday night. “There was a cordon at around 3 am,” she added. “They searched houses but only their [Akhtar’s] belongings were thrown out. The villagers were asked to gather at one place. While passing along their house, we could hear her screams.”
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