Nursing students protest for fellow Rather’s release

Srinagar, Sep 18: Nursing students of the valley on Tuesday held a protest demonstration here against the detention of Mohammad Iqbal Rather.
Rather, hailing from Futlipora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, was arrested from Domail area of Jammu’s Udhampur district for allegedly accompanying three militants killed in the Jammu gunfight on September 13.
Police claimed that he was detained from a truck in which three militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad were travelling.
Scores of nursing students from different institutions including Government Medical College and Bibi Halima assembled at Pratap Park here to protest for his release.
They said Rather was “innocent”, demanding that police should make his whereabouts public.
“For the last one week, nobody has been allowed to meet him. His relatives are waiting in Jammu. The authorities are not allowing them to meet him. We all are worried for him,” said Javeed Ahmad.
They said Rather had gone to Jammu in connection with the treatment of his father.
“His father is ill. He was in Jammu to seek appointment with a doctor. We fail to understand, how police has levelled serious allegations against him,” said Amir Bashir.
“He is presently doing internship and will be completing his degree within a few months. He last attended his class on September 9.The authorities shall release him so that he can join back,” a group of students said.
The students said they would hold a protest demonstration on Wednesday at SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
“He took lift from somebody. It is the driver who named him. He was arrested around 15 km away from the encounter site,” said a protester.