Woman SPO slapped with UAPA for raising legitimate question: Mehbooba

Srinagar, Apr 16: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday alleged that a woman Special Police Officer (SPO) was slapped with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for raising legitimate question about searching her residence repeatedly without any reason in south Kashmir district of Kulgam.
Ms Mehbooba further alleged that when it comes to cruelty even women aren’t spared in Naya Kashmir.
In a video which has gone viral on social media, the woman could be head arguing with security forces about frequent raids on her residence. “You come again and again to our house… there is no militant here. You should go to the houses were militants are and not trouble us all the time,” she could be heard saying in the video clip.
The woman further said that her mother is ill and gets disturbed with frequent raids. “I will not let you enter the house with your shoes on… if you want to come in take off your shoes. My mother was along in the house few days, and was scared to death when you (security forces) raided. I will not listen to them this time even if they kill me... they have to take out their shoes before entering the house,” she added in the video.
“Saima Akhter from Kulgam has been slapped with UAPA for raising legitimate questions about searching her home repeatedly without any reasons. Saima’s ailing mother understandably exacerbated her worries. When it comes to cruelty even women arent spared in Naya Kashmir,” Ms Mehbooba wrote on micro-bogging site twitter.
Earlier, a police spokesperson said that the woman SPO, identified as Saima Akther, was fired from her job and later arrested for allegedly glorifying militancy and obstructing government officials in their duty in Kulgam.
He said the woman captured a video through her personal phone and uploaded it on social media platforms for dissemination with the intent of disrupting the search operation.