Gulchain Singh Charak detained in Jammu, son says police gave no reason

Jammu: Dogra Sadar Sabha president and former minister Gulchain Singh Charak was on Tuesday detained ahead of his scheduled press conference in Jammu.

Charak had reached his party headquarters at Dogra Hall in the city to address a press conference and was picked up by police without citing any reason, his son Gambhir Dev Singh Charak said.

Dogra Sadar Sabha president Gulchain Charak being taken away by the police on Tuesday. Facebook/Th Gulchain Singh Charak

Gambhir, who is also in-charge of youth wing of the party, said the press conference was convened by the Dogra Sadar Sabha to put forth some suggestions for safeguarding the interests of the people of Jammu region with regard to the re-organisation of the state.

"There is no justification for the action as our organisation has wholeheartedly welcomed  the abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August...the action tentamounts to murder of democracy," he said.

On 16 August, police had briefly detained state Congress chief spokesperson and former MLC Ravinder Sharma from party headquarters in Jammu to prevent him addressing the media.

Several top leaders including state Congress president GA Mir, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan founder Choudhary Lal Singh and National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana are under house arrest in Jammu since the Centre announced abrogation of special status under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two union territories.