Kashmiri boy held under stringent law to be released

Monday April 04, 2011 07:36:49 PM, IANS

Jammu: A long wait has ended for Rafiq Hakeem, father of teenaged Kashmiri boy Faizan Rafiq lodged in a jail in Jammu region under the stringent Public Safety Act for stone pelting. The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday evening set aside Faizan's detention and ordered his release forthwith.

The government has issued necessary orders and the release of the boy, held for his role in stone pelting in south Kashmir's town of Anantnag, can take place at any moment, official sources told IANS.

The order for his release has been sent to the concerned police and jail authorities.

Faizan, whose school records said that he was just 14 plus, but apparently gave the appearance of a man in his twenties, had become a source of debate between the government and the parents and political groups supporting the boy. He was held some time ago.

While it was being given out that the boy was a "minor", the government insisted that he was not. The issue was taken up by various human rights groups.

On Sunday morning Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who makes some of the significant announcements on micro blogging site Twitter, wrote "I've issued the orders on Friday, papers are being processed so by Monday or Tuesday he'll be out."

The government has acted upon the orders of the chief minister, who also is the home minister, and ordered the release.

"The release can take place at any moment," an official told IANS.

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