Slain HM militants mother arrested in Kulgam, booked under UAPA

Anantnag: An elderly woman and mother of a slain Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant who was killed in May 2018 has been arrested and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

Naseema Bano, wife of Abdul Salam Sheikh, is the mother of Tawseef Sheikh a Hizb commander who was slain in a gunfight with government forces on May 6, 2018. She was arrested during the night of June 19 in a raid on her house in Rampora village of Qaimoh in Kulgam district and was booked under UAPA the next day (under FIR number 30 of 2020 under sections 13B, 17, 18, 18B, 19 and 39 of the UAPA).

Bano is presently lodged in women’s police station of Anantnag. His another son, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, is also serving detention since last about a year now and is lodged in district jail of Anantnag.

A family source told Kashmir Reader that the forces raided Sheikh house a week ago and took away Naseema; “They had apparently came looking for Naseema’s daughter, who was not home. Naseema was taken away instead.”

Superintendent of Police Kulgam, Gurinder Pal, however, maintained that Naseema has been booked for her, “active involvement in activating the youth of the area into militant ranks,”

“In 2018 a picture of her posing with an illegal weapon had gone viral. That was a crime in itself and a case had been lodged in the matter,” Pal said, adding that the matter was under investigation.

During the investigation of that case, he said, her links into activating more youth into militant ranks and in arranging weapons and arranging logistics for Hizb militants has been established.

“Recently three boys from the area have become militants and she has been directly involved,” Pal said, adding that not only Naseema but her daughter as well has been found involved in such activities.

He said, “in interest of the community” Naseema has been booked. (KR)