Srinagar: Police on Sunday released 17 youths, including an artist, a day after they were detained for holding an anti-Israel protest here during the corona curfew.
Artist Mudasir Gul, who had painted pro-Palestine graffiti, was among 20 people detained by the police on Saturday in the city's Padshahi Bagh area.
Seventeen boys were handed over to families via Community Bond after counselling. They violated section 51 of DM Act by participating in protests during corona curfew, a police official said.
The official said that engaging the families is important for preventing youngsters from going astray.
Gul, 32, had drawn the face of a weeping woman whose head was draped in a Palestinian flag. The words 'We are Palestine' were written in bold, white letters.
He was released on Sunday evening and has reached his home, Gul's elder brother Sami-ullah Rather told media.
Gul's mother said a few local youths came to their home and asked him to draw a mural.
She said his son refused to draw the mural at first, but was convinced by the youths that it was a protest to express solidarity with the people of Palestine only and there would not be anything against India.