Foreign tourist picked up by Army, released
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Mir TariqBandipora, July 31: A woman foreign tourist and her local guide were arrested by the troopers of 15 Rashtriya Riffles in this north Kashmir district on Thursday. However, she was later released after the intervention of the local administration.
According to the officials, Kathleen Maria of Michigan USA and her guide Ghulam Rasool Beigh were picked up by the troopers of 15 RR this morning from Watlab when they were returning from the famous Sufi Shrine of Baba Shakur-ud-din. “Troopers later handed over the duo to police station Sopore. After the intervention of district administration Maria and her guide were released,” the officials added. After her release Maria termed her arrest as “sheer harassment.” “I had sought the permission from the district administration and shown all the documents to the concerned officers. I repeatedly told troopers that I have sought the permission of authorities, but they didn’t pay any heed,” said Maria. Maria said that she was not on a routine visit like other tourists. “I was completing few elements of my mystic journey and a visit to Baba-Shakur –Din shrine was last spot in northern side of Kashmir, It was displeasing to meet Indian Army." However, Army spokesman said that the tourist was picked up in order to verify the documents, “They didn’t inform our officers before entering into the area,” the spokesman added. Brigadier 5 sector, 15 RR S K Sindhu said that the tourist failed to show them original documents. “We felt doubtful and detained the tourist and her guide. We later handed them over to police. They were set free by police after the tourist showed original documents to them,” said Sindhu.