An undercover cop (left) hurling stones at police and the same policeman arresting a stone pelter (right), in Srinagar on September 7 2018 (Photo: Faisal Bhat)
The place where this incident took place on Friday is known as a hub of anti-India protest. The people usually after Friday congregation prayers take part in the protest outside the historic mosque.
After the Friday prayers this week, a group of youth started pelting stones at police and CRPF personnel but there was no retaliation this time and not even a single teargas shell was lobbed or baton charge initiated by the law enforcing force, according to sources.
As the crowd swelled to over 100 people and two stone pelters started leading the agitation, the first tear gas shell was lobbed at the mob dispersing them.
However, the protesters were left stunned when the two stone-pelters who were leading the mob were grabbed by policemen covertly placed in the crowd and whisked away in waiting vehicles.
The policemen, who disguised as stone pelters, brandished guns to scare others while the duo was taken to the Police station.
Perplexed by the development, the stone pelters ended the protest early today as they were caught unaware of the Police strategy.
This is not the first time that this strategy was earlier executed in 2010 when scores of policemen were deployed in the mob to identify and arrested stone pelters in the area.
According to Police sources, the cops adopted revised an old strategy of nabbing stone pelters by planting its men among them at Jamia Masjid downtown to arrest the “real culprits in action”.
According to them, stone pelters in the area have become a headache for the security agencies and this was done to stop them from pelting stones.
“They were dressed like the protesters and appeared to be residents of downtown Srinagar in their accent and mannerisms which were the same as of the protesters,” a man who had offered prayers in Mosque.
Other eyewitnesses said that the masked men raised slogans in favour of freedom and also threw stones at the men in uniform. “They led the protesters closer to the police,” they said.
The men in uniform took into custody the protesters that were caught by the masked policemen, while the rest of the protesters quickly dispersed.
“There were at least four of them who had put on caps and masks,” said another man.
A police statement issued later said that, at about 2.00 pm, after the culmination of Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Nowhatta, a group of miscreants started pelting stones on the deployments at the main gate of Jamia Masjid.
Various Police parties deputed in the area apprehended four lead miscreants who were fomenting trouble there, Also, a toy pistol was recovered from one of the miscreants apprehended there, the statement reads.
“In this connection case FIR No 47 of 2018 P/S Nowhatta has been registered under relevant sections and investigation has been taken up,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, pictures of the incident went viral on social media across Kashmir.
“It is evident that India is using Israeli tactics to suppress Kashmiris…this is a cowardly act by planting their own men in protesters in disguise and the caught hold of them,” said a student from Old City, who wished not to be named.
Two years ago, a similar strategy was adopted by the Israel Defence Force. In a video that went viral, a group of Israeli policemen were seen infiltrating a crowd of Palestinian stone pelters and arresting many of them.
Courtesy: Two Circles