Trio remanded to custody till Feb 15; more arrests likely
Asem Mohiuddin
Srinagar, Feb 7: Police Thursday arrested three youth for allegedly posting abusive and threatening comments on the Facebook page of Kashmir’s all girls rock band ‘Pragaash’. The trio were produced before Sessions Judge, who remanded them to police custody till February 15.
“Police arrested three persons -- Tariq Majid Khan son of Abdul Majid Khan of SK Colony, Anantnag, Rameez Ahmad Shah son of Mohammad Shafi Shah of Baba wayil, Gutli Bagh, Ganderbal and Irshad Ahmad Chara son of Abdul Ahad Chara of SD Colony, Batamaloo, Srinagar --for posting abusive and intimidating comments on a social networking site for the all girl band,” a police spokesman said.
According to family members of Tariq Ahmad Khan son of Abdul Majid Khan of SK Colony Anantnag, police raided their residence at around 10 pm last evening.
“The cops picked up Khan. We tried to resist his arrest but policemen assured us that he will be set free after questioning at Police station Anantnag”.
They said police told them today to visit Police Station Rajbagh, Srinagar along with Tariq’s credentials as he is under questioning for posting threatening and abusive comments on Facebook page of Pragaash.
Khan had recently completed his post graduation in English literature from Kashmir University.
The family members of another detained youth Rameez Ahmad Shah, class 12th student of Babawayal, Ganderbal said police raided their residence at around 11 pm on Wednesday and arrested him.
They said police officials have asked them to approach Police Station Rajbagh, Srinagar alongwith his testimonials. “They told us that Rameez is being questioned for posting hate and threatening comments on all-girls band’s FB page”.
Meanwhile, family sources of Irshad Ahmad Chara of S D Colony Batamaloo said he was also arrested during the nocturnal raid. “Chara is working as cable operator after completing his graduation” they said.
Police sources said about six more youth under the radar of police and they are likely to be arrested in next few days.
“The arrested trio had posted highly inflammatory and unacceptable comments on Pragaash’s FB page,” they said.
They said police has categorized youth, who allegedly abused or threatened the band girls on Facebook, in three lists.
Police has already lodged an FIR under section 506 RPC (Criminal Intimidation) and section 66 A of the IT Act at Police Station Rajbagh.
Meanwhile, three detained youth were produced before Sub Registrar Lower Court Manzoor Ahmad Zargar today. The court sent three to nine days police remand. The trio will remain in police custody till February 15.
The Valley’s only all girls band, 'Pragaash (from darkness to light) has three 10th standard students -- Farah Deeba (15), Aneka Khalid (15) and Noma Nazir (16).
After their first live performance at a music festival, “Battle of Bands”, in Srinagar last December, the band started receiving sharp criticism and threats on their Facebook page.
While the band was widely supported by mainstream parties and civil society, however, it received setback when Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Bashiruddin Ahmad issued fatwa against the band and advised the girls to refrain from music.
A member of the band has said they decided to call it quits as they respected the decree of Kashmir's grand mufti who found singing un-Islamic.
"We respect the Mufti sahib who said it (singing) is 'Haram'. We respect the opinion of people of Kashmir also. That is why we quit," she said, adding that the band was not disbanded because of online threats.
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