PDP demonstration demands release of prisoners Many injured in Lathi charge.

rinagar, July 15:::  The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has strongly condemned the Lathi Charge on peaceful demonstration of youth in Srinagar today. The demonstration was held against denial of civil liberties, continued imprisonment of youth and political leaders in Kashmir and their harassment through false police cases.

The demonstration organized by the youth wing of PDP led by Nisar Ahmed Mandoo Senior Vice District President, Youth General Secretaries Er. Nazir Ahmed Yatoo and Showkat Gayoor, youth State Secretary Asif Khan, District Youth president Jahangir Wani, Ashok Bhat, Muneeb Ahmed , Parvez Ahmed and Imtiyaz Khan was broken up by the police using baton charges on the protestors at the residency road here today. Many of them sustained injuries, some including youth general secretary Er Nazir Ahmed Yatoo had to be provided treatment at the hospital. Four youth leaders Showkat Gayoor, Nazir Ahmed Yatoo, Parvez Ahmed and Ali Mohd Baba were taken into the custody.

The demonstrators carrying placards demanding release of prisoners and scrapping of false cases against the youth started off at the PDP Head quarters at the Emporuim Lane. Many youth from the city joined the demonstration and  they were intercepted by police near poloview. As the demonstrators sat on a peaceful dharna the police used brute force including brute force to disperse them resulting in injuries to many. One of the local police official was heard yelling out invectives and abuses against the top PDP leadership.

Condemning the attack on workers and the youth who had joined the protest Mehbooba Mufti said the present government has choked the democratic space in the state. “They have imposed a virtual marshal law  in Kashmir as no voice of dissent is heard or tolerated” she said and cautioned this  undemocratic attitude could create more alienation and hatred among the masses.

Mehbooba said the coalition government seems to be feeling too insecure  to even allow normal democratic activity in the state, but the PDP would continue to raise issues of public intrest with full force, howsoever uncomfortable this may be for rulers. She said Jammu & Kashmir is being isolated from the democratic liberties enjoyed by rest of the country and the government here is trying to silence all voices of concern, anguish and dissent through wanton use of police and security forces.