Handwara girl’s mother says video recorded under police pressure

Srinagar, April 16:

The mother of the young girl whose alleged by a army soldier sparked off violent protests in Handwara earlier this week alleged on Saturday that a video statement made by the girl was done under “police pressure”.

The girl had in a video after Tuesday’s incident said that some local men had misbehaved with her.

The protests have led to the killing of five civilians in firing by security forces.

Narrating the sequence of events, to NDTV news channel, the mother said: “After school, she came out with other girls and went to the washroom in the market. When she went in, an army jawan emerged… She screamed. The boys who were there could not tolerate the screams of their sister. A crowd assembled. The police and army opened fire.”

“She is under pressure from the police,” she added.

“She is a young girl, just 16 years old,” she said, adding “she has been in custody for five days. We are not allowed to meet her.”

The police have said the girl and her father are in “preventive custody”.

The girl’s mother and uncle were supposed to address the media here earlier in the day, but were denied permission. (IANS)