5 Kashmiri boys held for poll boycott call on social media

A protester takes onthe police in Srinagaron Saturday. Photo:Nissar Ahmad

After arresting most of the separatist Kashmiri leaders and over 900 youths as “possible troublemakers” ahead of the J&K Assembly elections, the police on Saturday arrested five Kashmiri boys for “promoting poll boycott” and “spreading rumours exaggerating incidents” on social media sites.

While the election campaign in the State is going on with vigour, the police have stifled all pro-boycott voices by mass arrests of pro-Independence activists and by putting separatist leaders under house arrest.

“We have arrested five people and we will continue to take stringent action against those Facebook and other social media users who are found promoting fake and exaggerated news and poll boycott on their pages,” police spokesperson Manoj Pandita told The Hindu .

The five arrested so far are from across the Valley — two from Khanyar in Srinagar, two are from Anantnag in south Kashmir and another from north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. “It is completely unjustified,” People’s Democratic Party spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar told

The Hindu . “People have as much right to campaign for a boycott as we have for campaigning against it.”

“These people are not only campaigning for poll boycott on the social media but engaging in anti-national activities online that are cognisable offences,” Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Abdul Gani Mir, said.