Srinagar: The families of the trio arrested in New Delhi today refuted the claims of the Special Cell of Delhi Police that the arrested have links with militant outfits.
Today five men, three from Kashmir and 2 from Punjab were arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police from Shakarpur area of Delhi.
Police said these arrests were made after a gunfight in the area.
Three Kashmiri men hailing from central Kashmir’s Budgam district were arrested by police. They are Reyaz Ahmed Rather and Shabir Ahmed Gojri, both residents of Nasrullah Pora and Muhammad Ayoub Pathan of Gondhipora village.
The family members of all these arrested men talked to news agency Kashmir News Trust and vouched for their innocence.
Shaista- the wife of Shabir Ahmed Gojri said her husband visits the shrine of Ajmer Sharif every year and this time another youth from the same village Reyaz Ahmed accompanied him. “My husband had to pay obeisance at Ajmeer Sharif while Reyaz being a welding expert had to get some stuff from Delhi,” she said adding that on Sunday late evening, her husband informed her that he is alright.
“My husband is a tipper driver with a clean police record. We were shocked over the claim made by Delhi Police,” she told KNT adding that Shabir is the sole breadwinner of a family comprising of old parents and two little sisters.
Muhammad Shafi Rather, father of Reyaz Ahmed also vouched for the innocence of his son saying he had gone to Delhi for the first time in life. “My son is unmarried who had gone to Delhi to purchase some welding stuff,” he said and sought the intervention of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
“My son has clear police record who has been never ever arrested for anything wrong,” Rather said.
Muhammad Ayoub Pathan, a resident of Gondhipora Budgam who is one among arrested by Delhi Police according to his family had gone to Delhi to purchase construction material. “We are constructing a house and for this purpose Pathan left for Delhi two days ago to get some material,” his family members said.
Pathan is the father of 3 daughters and 2 sons. One of his sons is in police custody for his alleged involvement in Lawaypora militant attack in February this year.
Two militants Zia-ur-Rehman of Arth Budgam and Khateeb of Wagam Bijbehara were killed in Lawaypora shootout on 5 February this year. A trooper Ramesh Ranjan was also killed in this shootout.
“Few persons are still in detention in connection with Lawaypora Srinagar attack and among which is the son of Muhammad Ayoub Pathan as well, but: “we vouch for the innocence of both father and son,” the family members told KNT.
