SRINAGAR: Police on Sunday detained a group of JKLF leaders when they were on their way to Kunan-Poshpora villages of Kupwara district to attend a protest rally scheduled to be held on the 23rd anniversary of the alleged mass rape of at least 30 women by Indian soldiers.
According to a JKLF spokesman, senior leaders Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Mohammad Siddeq Shah, Sheikh Abdul Rashid and others were stopped by police near Parimpora here and detained.
However another delegation of JKLF led by senior leader Master Sheikh Mohammad Afzal reached Kunan-Poshpora and led the protest rally, the spokesman said in a statement.
“Addressing the protest rally, Master Afzal condemned the arrest of JKLF leaders. He said that on this very day on February 23, 1991, Indian Army after besieging the Kunan-Poshpora village attacked the chastity of women and more than 100 women fell to these savages. He said that 23 years have passed but till date no one has been arrested or even charge sheeted. This speaks volumes about the criminal mentality of Indian state and its Kashmiri puppets,” the statement said.
“He (Master Afzal) said that Indian Army and forces have been using rape as a weapon of war against Kashmiris and this cannot be done without the orders of political leadership. He said that actually this is state-sponsored terrorism unleashed against the people of Kashmir, but these tyrants have to understand that they will have to reply for their criminal attitude and acts against the people of Jammu Kashmir. He said that these criminal acts of state terrorism cannot deter us from the path of resistance and the day is not far when Jammu Kashmir will emerge as an independent nation,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, a JKLF delegation led by district president Pulwama Javed Ahmad Bhat along with Tariq Ahmad and Dawood Ahmad visited Prichoo, Pulwama and attended the Fateh Khwanai of Tawseef Ahmad who was killed by the Army last week in Budgam.

Reader correspondent