Government forces have arrested eight persons during separate nocturnal raids for their alleged involvement in stone-throwing incidents in Pulwama even as the shutdown continued in the south Kashmir district along with Shopian. The internet also remained snapped in the twin districts where several civilians were killed allegedly by government forces near sites of encounters which saw the killing of several militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen including some top commanders.
Official sources told GNS that the police, SOG and CRPF carried out the separate raids at Arigam and Adarbal villages on Thursday night. During the raids four youths were arrested at Arigam and as many in Adarbal. The arrested persons have been identified as Mohammad Altaf Wani, Reyaz Ahmad Wani, Basit Azad Wani, Aidil Ahmad Mir, residents of Arigam village and Adil Ahmad Mulla, Waseem Ahmad Mulla, Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat and Zahid Ahmad, residents of Adarbal.
A police officer confirmed the arrested and said that the youths were indulging in stone pelting incidents and were wanted in many FIRs in the district. Among the arrested youth, most of them are found involved in stone throwing incidents around the sites where the anti-militancy operations take place, he said. Meanwhile, shops and other business establishments remained closed in Shopian and Pulwama. The twin districts have been observing strike from last fortnight. Internet services also remained suspended in both the districts.