AAP MLA's detention: Tensions run high in J-K's Doda after violent protests; security tightened in sensitive areas

Doda, Sep 10 (PTI) Tensions ran high in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district following violent clashes between protesters and security personnel sparked by the detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), a move that has been widely criticised by political leaders as a "direct conflict" between bureaucracy and democracy.

Protests, which started on Tuesday, continued across the district, with reports of police using lathicharge and tear gas to disperse crowds. Prohibitory orders have been imposed and additional security forces deployed in sensitive areas, officials said.

The clashes spread to the neighbouring town of Bhaderwah and resulted in injuries to both protesters and police personnel including two officers.

People from various areas attempted to defy the prohibitory orders and police had to resort to cane charging at some places.

Police have also detained 70 people, including five women. Several of them are expected to be released tonight, sources said.

The PSA, a law often used against terrorists and separatists, was invoked against an elected official, igniting a political firestorm in Jammu and Kashmir.

While the lieutenant governor holds control over law and order, his administration's decision to detain a sitting MLA has been called "unconstitutional" and a "direct attack on democracy" by leaders across the political spectrum, including from the National Conference, Congress, and AAP. This is seen as a move by the bureaucracy to silence a vocal critic and assert control over the democratic process.

Meanwhile, Malik's lawyer Appu Singh said, "We have finalized a team of lawyers fighting the case. I cannot reveal the next course of action or the names of the lawyers at this point. But the family of Malik wants him out." She added that once the legal team meets, they will decide the next course of action. "The Deputy Commissioner should sit and think whether the decision to slap the PSA was an act of personal vendetta. It seems like a personal grudge." Early this morning, heavy deployment of security forces was seen around the Doda town. The district administration went ahead with strong measures in the form of the installation of concertina wires to limit movement and keep crowds away from government offices.

Police vans made announcements asking residents to stay indoors after prohibitory orders were clamped throughout Doda town.

While there was no official word on clampdown, the Internet services in the area were not working with protestors alleging that it had been suspended to silence the voice of the people.

The heightened security and communication blackout followed the tragic death of a two-year-old girl, who was being rushed to a hospital for pneumonia treatment but succumbed after her family's vehicle was caught in a traffic jam amidst protests on Tuesday.

An investigation has been launched after the girl's father alleged that security personnel deployed at the scene did not allow their vehicle to pass despite repeated pleas. The child was referred from a local Primary Health Centre in Thathri to the Government Medical College (GMC) Doda.

In a sharp political reaction to the escalating situation, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah held the LG responsible for the deteriorating condition in Doda.

Talking to reporters at Pattan in north Kashmir, Abdullah said "this is the lieutenant governor's game...the entire security system is under his control. Therefore, he is responsible for the worsening conditions in Doda." When questioned regarding the likelihood of a special J&K Assembly session, Abdullah said the assembly speaker had to decide on convening it.

The Doda district has been on the boil following the detention of Malik, an outspoken critic of the government, and his subsequent arrest and placement in Kathua jail for purportedly disturbing public peace.

The night had been tense, especially in the Doda Assembly constituency.

The Doda town and outskirts have been shut off, with more security personnel deployed at vulnerable areas such as Bhaderwah, Gandoh, and Thathri.

All business establishments and schools have been shut down and people ordered to remain indoors.

"...there are no reports of any untoward incidents so far from anywhere," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who arrived in Jammu with senior leader Imran Hussain, condemned Malik's detention as "illegal" and "unconstitutional".

"The section used against terrorists has been slapped on an elected member for raising a voice for the people of his constituency," Singh told reporters.

"We will fight this injustice on the streets, in Parliament, and, if necessary, in the Supreme Court." Singh accused the BJP-led Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of targeting AAP leaders systematically, pointing out the earlier arrests of Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and himself.

J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra has also expressed his concerns over the imposition of the PSA on an elected legislator, terming it a "direct attack" on democracy.

"Our belief is that both sides should have opted for restraint on the issue. They should have seen that the PSA slapped on a public representative is a direct attack on democracy," Karra told reporters during a visit to flood-hit areas of RS Pura border belt.

The Congress leader said the situation currently reflects a tussle between bureaucracy and democracy. "At this moment, it feels like it is bureaucracy versus democracy." In a statement, PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti alleged that Malik is being made a scapegoat to deflect attention from a recent controversy surrounding the Hazratbal shrine emblem.

"Religious sentiments were hurt in Hazratbal. Instead of apologising and taking action against the Waqf Board, they have registered a case against people who expressed their anger," Mehbooba said.

"To book an elected representative under the PSA seems to be a tactic to divert attention from the situation in Kashmir due to the Hazratbal incident," she claimed.

Mehbooba urged LG Manoj Sinha to cancel the FIR in connection with the Hazratbal case and set MLA Malik free.

The detention of Malik has been criticised by several political parties. The National Conference, PDP, and People's Conference have all termed the action as an "assault on democracy".

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said earlier that Malik was not a threat and termed the PSA detention "wrong". PTI CORR AB MIJ SKL KVK KVK