Srinagar: Police has launched a massive crackdown against protesters across Kashmir valley and arrested nearly 500 youth in last few days.
However police described all those arrested as ‘hooligans' and ‘miscreants’.
“In its continuous drive against hooligans and miscreants, 349 accused persons have been arrested in the Valley," a police spokesman said.
The spokesman said 122 persons have been detained under "prohibitory provisions of law".
More than 50 persons have been killed, including two policemen, and nearly 6000 others injured in the ongoing street protests in Kashmir since the killing of commander Burhan Wani and his two associates in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
Initially, the authorities imposed curfew across the Valley to curb the protests but the strategy failed as more and more people took to the streets.
A senior police official said the security agencies are using video footage and photographs to pinpoint the "trouble mongers and instigators" among the protestors.
"We have deployed some personnel in uniform equipped with cameras for recording the incidents of stone pelting and pinpoint those instigating the protests during the analysis of the footage available," the official said.
He said once the accused person is identified, he is arrested "at an appropriate time".
However, the official admitted that many of the wanted youth are still at large as they are not staying with their families any more.
"They keep shifting from one place to another but efforts are on to nab them as soon as possible".
The modus operandi adopted by the security forces is to conduct nocturnal raids for apprehending the accused persons, but the raids prompt more protests and allegations of abuse.
Reports also suggest that police was detaining even injured admitted in hospitals forcing many to stay away from main hospitals and instead go to smaller health centres for treatment.
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