Srinagar: A day after the J&K High Court asked the state government to explain its position on the detention of a minor boy hailing from Shopain, the government Tuesday informed the court that it has revoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) of the boy.
The Additional Advocate General (AAG), B A Dar informed the court that after seeking instructions from the court on Monday, the Home department has revoked the order.
The court of Justice Sanjeev Kumar had granted the state one day to explain its position regarding the detention of the minor boy hailing from Memender area of Shopian after the Registrar Judicial of the High Court in compliance with court order dated 25 September 2019 conducted an enquiry wherein it was established that boy was over 14 years of age.
“To sum up all the statements especially of Principal Maktaba Islamia High School, paternal uncle, brother of the detenue as well as the documents brought by the Principal Maktaba Islamia High School, Shopain the age of the detenue (Name withheld) as on 10 August, 2019 comes about 14 years, 4 months and 25 days,” the Registrar Judicial in his report submits.
The petitioner had submitted that police had “illegally detained” the boy on August 9 and later shifted to Central Jail, Srinagar where he was taken into preventive detention on a PSA issued by District Magistrate Shopian.
The family through its counsel Mir Shafkat Hussain submitted that the detention order was in conflict with the Act itself and shall be overturned as the boy is a juvenile. The police dossier slapped against the minor read that “you are a hard core Over Ground Worker (OGW) of Hizb militant organization, motivator and you harbour deep hatred for the Indian Union and Law enforcement agencies, believe in cessation of state of J&K from Union of India.”
“Your activities are constant threat to the security and sovereignty of the State/ Country and a perpetual threat to society in general. You have been found instrumental in raising the tempers of the local youth against the legally established system. In order to curb your activities it is imperative to detain you under Section 8 of J&K Public Safety Act (PSA),” the dossier said.

NUSRAT SIDIQ