8 Booked Under UAPA for Raising Slogans at Kupwara Funeral are ‘Innocent’, Say Villagers

Srinagar: Eight mourners have been booked under serious charges of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly raising ‘anti-India’ slogans at the funeral of a youth killed in an accident in Kupwara district of North Kashmir last week. 

The youth, Mohammad Amin Dar, had died in an accident on May 28 after a vehicle hit him close to his residence. He was reportedly rushed to a local hospital and later referred to Srinagar but succumbed to his injuries on the way. The police later said they had initiated an investigation into his death. 

Later, the police claimed that at his funeral next morning, anti-India slogans were allegedly raised. 

Nazir Dar, the local sarpanch (village head),  told NewsClick that the villagers were heartbroken due to the death of Mohammad Amin and were mostly reciting ‘La ila ha il Allah’ - an Islamic oath often recited at funerals.

“A couple of boys did raise some controversial slogans but it was brief as others discouraged them to do so but, I think the boys detained are innocent,” Nazir said.

Amongst those arrested by the police is 28-year-old Aijaz Ahmad, who runs a tea-stall near the village. His father, however, told NewsClick that Aijaz was attending another funeral of his relative in another village in Handwara area. 

“My son is innocent as he had gone to attend the funeral of a relative. I am sure there is no evidence against him as he is not involved in any such incident, and even if he is somehow responsible for any wrong, we request the authorities to forgive and release him,” Ghulam Rasool said. 

Aijaz, according to one of his relatives who wished to remain anonymous, was attending the condolence meet of Mohammad Yousuf Sheikh whose last rites were held in Shehlal village of Handwara area.

The locals claim the boys are innocent and have been ‘falsely implicated’.

“There is no crime (involved) and a harsh punishment is being meted out to innocents,” another local and a relative of one of the detained boys said. He, too, wished to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisal.   

The police also booked the residents of Bumhama village of the frontier district identified as Aabid Hussain Mir, son of Abdul Gani Mir, Qaiser Ahmad Mir, son of Farooq Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Mir, son of Farooq Ahmad Mir, Abass Ahmad Mir, son Khazir Mohammad Mir, Firdous Ahmad Bhat, son of Lal Bhat and Fayaz Ahmad Dar, son of Mohammad Maqbool – all of whom are accused to have participated in the funeral prayers of a 26 year-old youth. 

Officials were quoted by a local news agency on Wednesday saying that four of the accused persons have been arrested under Section 13 of the UAPA, 1967, under which an individual faces up to seven years imprisonment for “advocating, abetting, advising or inciting the commission of any unlawful activity”. 

In this incident, a case FIR No. 181/21 under IPC Sections of 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 147 (Punishment for rioting) besides stringent 13 ULA(P) Act was lodged in the Police Station of Kupwara. Those arrested by the police so far include Qaiser, Bilal and a teenager from the same locality. 

This is the second such incident in less than a month where mourners have been booked by the police in Kupwara on charges of protest and sloganeering. Earlier last month, the family of senior Hurriyat leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, who died during his incarceration in Udhampur jail, were booked by police for allegedly raising slogans at his funeral. Both his sons – who have reportedly contracted coronavirus – are in jail since.

SSP Kupwara Sundeep Chakarvarthy did not respond to any calls or messages regarding the incident.