Journalist arrested for facilitating stone pelters, circulating pictures in Kashmir

The latest arrests come in the backdrop of reports that the premier probe agency has identified 117 suspects who allegedly used 70 Whatsapp groups to organize stone-pelting protests in the valley.

A photo journalist from Kashmir was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on the charge that he was involved in incidents of stone pelting. Kamran Yousuf, the journalist was arrested along with Javed Bhat from Kulgam by the NIA.

Terming them as alleged ring leaders, the NIA said that the duo also facilitated stone pelting in the Valley. The arrests come in the midst of an NIA probe in the Hurriyat terror funding case.

NIA officials say that Yousuf was not just mobilising the stone pelters, but also clicking pictures and circulating them among the local and national newspapers. They also circulated the pictures widely on the social media and chat groups, the NIA also said.

The latest arrests come in the backdrop of reports that the premier probe agency has identified 117 suspects who allegedly used 70 Whatsapp groups to organize stone-pelting protests in the valley.

The NIA would seek from these persons details of the persons who paid them to undertake the job. The NIA says that these stone pelters were on the pay rolls of the separatists and would undertake the job upon being paid.

During the probe the NIA had learnt that stone pelters were paid anything between Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 per day.

OneIndia News