SRINAGAR: The crackdown on youth in south Kashmir is purely a precautionary measure and part of an election exercise undertaken to ensure free and fair polls in south Kashmir, assured Director General of Police Dilbag Singh.
Security forces have launched a massive crackdown on youth in south Kashmir, where Lok Sabha elections are to be held on May 6 in Pulwama and Shopian districts.
In past three days, over a hundred youth have been arrested in police raids.
Clearing the haze, DGP Singh said that only those youth have been arrested who have a history of stone pelting and involved in law and order cases.
“These are nothing but temporary measures to keep the security situation in control during the elections. Those who have history and are involved in law and order cases have been taken into preventive detention,” Singh told a newswire.
For over 5.22 lakh electors, election authorities have established 695 polling stations in Shopian and Pulwama districts, where voting will take place between 7 am and 4 pm on May 6.
The Shopian’s district administration has put in place Section 144 of the CrPC in the district from Friday for a period of one month “to maintain peace and tranquillity in public life and to avoid danger to life and property”.
