AAP legislator’s detention triggers massive protests in J&K’s Doda
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Srinagar: Following the detention of the Aam Aadmi Party legislator Mehraj-ud-Din Malik on Tuesday, authorities snapped high speed internet connection in parts of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district anticipating protests.
Tensions are on the rise in the area after Malik has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), The Wire reported.
The ruling National Conference (NC) and other major parties in the region including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party condemned Malik’s detention.
Despite the Supreme Court’s direction to officially publish orders for internet restrictions, J&K’s home department has not published any order regarding it so far, according to the report.
However, the official website of the Union Territory’s home department last updated on August 15 the details of internet restrictions when it was restricted in parts of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Meanwhile, people in Doda told The Wire that they could not access YouTube and Instagram since Monday night following Mehraj-ud-Din Malik’s detention.
However, people were still able to send text messages on WhatsApp.
Police detained some of Malik’s supporters including Owais Chaudhary, a resident of Bhaderwah, and Sheikh Zafrullah, a district development council member from Marwah after they made calls for protest against their leader’s detention.
It is reported that a few others remain unreachable on phone raising apprehension of their potential detention, although administration has not confirmed it.
After massive protest broke out in Gandoh, Kahara, Bhalessa and other AAP strongholds against Malik’s detention, authorities have beefed up security in Doda district.
It is reported that protesters shouted slogans against the Doda deputy commissioner (DC) Harvinder Singh demanding Malik’s release.
Participating in a peaceful protest, Syed Mohsin, a social activist, reportedly said that ‘A black law [PSA] has been used to trample on democracy. It seems like a well-planned conspiracy to orphan our constituency and deprive us of our voice. We demand that he should be set free immediately.’