Date:09/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020952800400.htm

Karnataka

‘We will take the first train to Kashmir’

Firoz Rozindar

Chitradurga: After spending a week in anxiety, the smile is back on the faces of three Kashmiris who were granted conditional release on February 3, asking them to stay in the city for three days till the verification was completed.

After spending three more days, the three Kashmiris — Saif Ali (43) Mohammad Junaid (23) and his younger brother Imtiyaz Ahmed (16) — left for Bangalore here on Friday.

Last Friday, the police picked them up following the complaint by some people who suspected their movements. “After reaching Bangalore, we will take the first available train to Kashmir,” said Mr. Ali.

Caught in a mixed feeling of sadness and delight over their detention and release, the three appeared eager to go home. “After we were released, I spoke to my wife and enquired about the children, I am eager to meet them,” Mr. Junaid said.

He expressed his gratitude to the Horapete mosque authorities, who helped in getting them released and took care of their stay. On the detention, he said even at the time of grating permission on Thursday, the police did not tell them the reason of their detention. “Before we were released, the police told us never to come this far for donations. This is all they said.” However, he said that during the detention, the police did not ill-treat them.

To a question, Mr. Junaid said that they prefer working as labourers rather than seeking donations for any madarsa. “On my return, I will look for some other means of income, I have a piece of land and will do farming,” Mr. Ali said.

Mr. Junaid had come here in his winter vacation seeking donations. He said that he wished to be a teacher, while Imtiyaz who is in Class 10 wants to be a soldier

Mohammad Sadiqllah, advocate and a trustee of Horapete mosque, told The Hindu that it was not new for people coming to Chitradurga from various places seeking donations.

On the detention of the three Kashmiris, he said that the mosque committee was not against the questioning of any person provided the police consulted the local representatives of any mosque before detaining anyone.