Jammu and Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti not under house arrest, J-K police clarifies

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday clarified that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti is not under house arrest.

According to a senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer, the former Chief Minister was on the way to Press Colony in Srinagar to participate in a protest but was not allowed to move towards the site.

"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.

Earlier sources had said that Mehbooba Mufti was placed under house arrest at her residence.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister had protested in Jammu earlier in the day against the alleged killing of civilians in the Hyderpora encounter.

"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 demonstration was held outside the PDP office. She claimed that three civilians have been killed in the encounter that took place on Monday.

She has also demanded a judicial inquiry into the Hyderpora encounter in Jammu and Kashmir.

An encounter between security forces and terrorists had broken out in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on November 15 after input was received by police 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 to their injuries.

(ANI)