All but 50 Kashmir stone pelters released: Padgaonkar

Thursday December 23, 2010 01:38:31 PM, IANS

Srinagar: The central interlocutors in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday said more political prisoners and youth arrested during the unrest would be released from jail in the coming days.

"out of the 3,000 youth arrested for charges of stone pelting in the valley, all but 50 have already been released. The state government has told us more political prisoners against whom there are no serious charges would be released in the coming days," he told a media conference here.

Padgaonkar, accompanied by the other two interlocutors, Radha Kumar and M.M. Ansari, said: "Consultations were conducted along broad lines pertaining to issues of governance, development, conduct of the security forces, fate of the detainees involved in stone pelting, release of political prisoners against whom there are no serious charges, human rights etc., by us during our three visits so far to the state."

"The group also visited Langath town in Kupwara district to ascertain the views of the local people on issues of their interest and concern."

He clarified that some persons still wanted by the local police are not connected with the stone pelting incidents.

"We met a cross-section of people. While some spoke of abrogation of Article 370, others spoke of 'azadi', development and other solutions. We are ready to speak to any such group who are willing to speak to us," Padgaonkar said.

He added that the hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and the moderate Mirwaiz Umer Farooq needed to discuss their demands with the centre.

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