Police releases a girl

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have released a girl, who was arrested a day before Republic day from south Kashmir on the suspicion of being a “suicide bomber”.

An 18 years old Pune girl was handed over to members of her family, who were camping in Srinagar, after the police found nothing incriminating against her.

Sadiya Anwar Shaikh of Yerwada, Pune, was arrested two days after IGP, Kashmir, Munir Khan, in a confidential message, said there was a strong input that she “may cause a suicide bomb explosion near or at the Republic Day venue” in the Valley. He said nothing was proved against her. “She has been handed over to her mother. We verified all reports and nothing has been proved,” Munir Khan added.

Another police officer said the girl was released after it was found that she was not planning any attack.
He said nearly a dozen Kashmiri social media friends of Sadiya were also questioned. She had arrived in Kashmir on January 15 and had stayed at the houses of her online Kashmiri friends in Srinagar and south Kashmir. In Kashmir, she had secured an admission in a nursing college, which she had later cancelled.

“She also stayed with a friend in the native village of militant Zakir Musa at Tral for two days. But nothing adverse was found during her stay at Tral,” he said.

On January 23, a wireless message was circulated by the J&K Police, saying, “Sadiya, who is presently in the Valley, may cause a suicide bomb explosion.” The message had sent the entire security apparatus into a tizzy. She was arrested on January 25 from south Kashmir and no arms or ammunition were recovered from her.

The police input had created a fear across Kashmir ahead of Republic Day, and officials questioned the intent behind leaking the confidential input in the public domain. In the past, Sadiya was questioned by the National Investigation Agency and Maharashtra ATS for being “highly radicalised”. After her detention, she was made to attend a de-radicalisation course.

nb–tribune