Omar pardons shoe-thrower, orders release

Suspended policeman alleges torture by former colleagues

His release was ordered by the chief minister himself. An official spokesman said, “In a goodwill gesture, the chief minister on Tuesday pardoned suspended head constable Abdul Ahad Jan and asked the police to withdraw the case against him.”

Releasing him on extremely compassionate grounds, Omar called Jan to his residence and gave him a patient hearing after which he directed the police authorities to release him immediately.

Ramzan gesture
“The holy month of Ramzan teaches us to be compassionate and to forgive everyone. My steps are in conformity with the teachings of Islam which does not teach hatred but only love and brotherhood,” Omar said.

Ahad on Monday expressed his wish to meet the chief minister and director-general of police and tell them the reasons behind his action.

Police misdeeds
Talking to reporters in SMHS hospital here, where he was brought for medical examination after his arrest, Jan said he wanted to reveal before them the misdeeds of the police.

The suspended head constable was presented before a court in Srinagar on Monday where he broke down and alleged that he was tortured by the police and was being pressured to implicate some separatist or People’s Democratic Party leader in the case.
He stated that he hurled the shoe on his own and that nobody had incited him to do so. In hospital Jan had also raised pro-freedom slogan.

His home at Ajas in north Kashmir had become a centre of attraction for thousands of people and he was being appreciated on social networking sites for his act.
Ahad was immediately arrested by the police as he hurled the shoe and a case was registered against him on Independence Day.