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Journalism of Courage
Protests are brewing in the Valley over the arrest of a college student who is to get married on July 23 over alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba links. Ignoring separatist warnings for her release,the Jammu and Kashmir Police today got her police remand extended till July 26 three days after her wedding date.
A 22-year-old resident of Jalalabad in Sopore who is enrolled in a B.Ed course,Qurat-ul-Ain was arrested on July 10. The police accuse her of being a Lashkar operative,and have charged her with murder and linked her to the recent attack at a police station in Sopore that left one dead and 10 injured.
She has been arrested on charges of providing a safe house and logistics support and for acting as a courier for foreign militants,especially Abdullah Uni (a top Lashkar commander of north Kashmir), a police spokesperson said,adding she delivered hawala money.
Her activities were under surveillance as Qurat was initially working as an overground worker for LeT militant Hamza, the spokesperson added. When Hamza was killed in an encounter,she allegedly started working for Uni.
Qurats family accuses the police of framing her. If she is not released by July 22,regimented but peaceful protests would be organised in Sopore on Friday, Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani has said,adding he would himself join the protests.
