Female SPO raised legitimate questions, police action cruel: Mehbooba Mufti
KULGAM: A 30-year-old woman whose video went viral on social media wherein she was seen shouting at the security forces asking them to stop the search operation at her house, was Friday booked under Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act.
Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a woman SPO identified as Saima Akhtar, daughter of Ghulam Nabi Rah of Frisal area of Kulgam was seen shouting at security forces in a video during a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Frisal, Kulgam.
A video captured by her during the CASO has also went viral on social media, police said, adding that the woman SPO was later arrested by the Police from her residence in Karewa Mohallah of village Frisal and lodged at Police Station Yaripora.
In the video, she could be seen shouting at the security personnel “Kashmir Hamara hai,” (This is our Kashmir). ”
She further goes on to say that “I won’t you to enter my house with boots on.” Locals told KNO that Saima is a lone daughter of her aged and ailing parents.
“She was posted as an SPO in Jammu Kashmir Police and is the sole bread earner to her family, her father is suffering from cancer,” the local said.
Moreover, police spokesman in a statement issued to KNO said that “on 14 April 2021, after receiving specific input regarding the presence of militants in Karewa Mohallah of village Frisal, a search operation was launched there.”
“During the course of search, the search party was obstructed by a woman identified as Saima Akther, daughter of Ghulam Nabi Rah of Frisal. The woman resisted the search party and turned violent, and uttered statements glorifying violent actions of militancy. She captured a video through her personal phone and forwarded it on social media platforms with the aim of disrupting the search.”
Taking cognizance of the matter, the police said that the woman has been arrested and subsequently terminated from service. “A case under FIR number 19/2021 under section 353 IPC, 13 UAP Act stands registered in Police Station Yaripora and investigation of case is in progress,” the police statement said.
Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti came in defence of the woman SPO. “Saima Akhter from Kulgam has been slapped with UAPA for raising legitimate questions about searching her home repeatedly without any reasons. Saima’s ailing mother understandably exacerbated her worries. When it comes to cruelty even women aren’t spared in Naya Kashmir,” Mehbooba wrote on her twitter handle.
Earlier, last year Jammu and Kashmir police had arrested the mother of a slain militant on June 19 from her home in Rampora village of Qaimoh in Kulgam, and booked under UAPA (under FIR number 30 of 2020) for allegedly motivating youth in Kulgam to join militant ranks.