PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti not under house arrest, J&K Police issues clarification

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday clarified that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti is not under house arrest. A senior J&K police officer informed that Mufti was on her way to join a protest at the Press Colony in Srinagar, but was not allowed to move towards the protest site. The police added that Mufti was not allowed to go for the protest due to security reasons. 

"Mehbooba Mufti was on the way to Press Colony in Srinagar to participate in a protest but police did now allow her to move towards the site due to security reasons. She is not under house arrest," the police officer said.

The police clarification comes after sources had earlier said that the PDP chief was placed under house arrest at her residence. A day earlier, she had protested in Jammu against the alleged killing of civilians in the Hyderpora encounter. In addition, she also hit out at the government for "killing civilians in the name of militancy". 

"I am protesting because this government kills civilians in the name of militancy. Nobody knows if militants are being killed. Three civilians have been killed recently. The government refuses to hand over their dead bodies to the families despite the latter's demand," Mufti Mehbooba had told media persons.

The protests were held outside the PDP office and Mufti claimed that three civilians were killed in the encounter. Meanwhile, the PDP chief has also demanded a judicial inquiry into the Hyderpora encounter in Jammu and Kashmir.

Hyderpora encounter 

An encounter between security forces and terrorists broke out in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on November 15. The encounter broke out after the police received input regarding the presence of terrorists in an illegal call centre in a private building in the area. The Jammu and Kashmir Police said that two terrorists identified as Haider, a foreign Pakistani terrorist and his associate Amir Ahmad resident of Banihal (a hybrid terrorist), were killed in the encounter. It said the owner of the building, Altaf Ahmad, as well as tenant, Mudasir Ahmad, were also called to accompany the search party. However, in the encounter with terrorists, both received critical gunshot injuries and succumbed. 

(With inputs from ANI)