Mehbooba seeks release of a teenager arrested by NIA, writes to HM Amit Shah

Srinagar, Jan 3 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking release of 19-year-old Arsalan Feroz of Srinagar who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on charges of being an ” The Resistance Front” operative
Earlier in the day, the family members of Arsalan of Zaldagar area of Srinagar met Ms Mufti and apprised her about the whole case and she promised to write a letter to the Union Home Ministry to seek release of the boy.
“I am writing to you regarding the arrest of the 19-year-old student from Srinagar. Arsalan Feroz was first detained by J&K Police on October 21. After forty days he was subsequently released after nothing was found against him. Till date there has been no FIR or case registered against this young boy in any police record. Oddly enough according to NIA, Arsalan who recently couldn’t take his twelfth grade exam owing to his detention has been accused of being a TRF operative indulging radicalization and motivating youth to join the rank of militant organizations,” she wrote to Shah.
“I met his crestfallen family today including his father who suffered a stroke because of the dire situation his son is in. It is an utter tragedy that a young boy has been arrested despite no previous adverse police record. Such actions can have catastrophic consequences for him and his family. Arsalan comes from a modest background where in they are already struggling to make ends meet. You can well imagine the mental anguish and suffering his arrest has brought upon him”.
Mehbooba Mufti reminded Amit Shah about his last trip during which he had said about engaging youth.
“In your last trip to Kashmir you spoke emphatically about engaging with the youth here. Despite our political differences, I am sure we can agree that such incidents will only alienate our young generation further and leave them with permanent scars and a sense of despondency for a long time. I request you to personally intervene in this case and ensure that justice is served”, the letter said.
On January 1, family members and relatives of Arsalan had also staged a protest and seeking his release.
Arsalan was arrested Thursday by NIA which said he was an “operative” of “The Resistance Front”
NIA conducted a search in Srinagar and arrested the alleged TRF operative, Arsalan in a case of radicalising, motivating and recruiting youth of J&K by Lashkar-e-Toiba. The agency said till now four accused have been arrested in the instant case.
UNI QAB ACL1938