Jammu and Kashmir Police foil National Conference president Farooq Abdullah's meet on Article 370
The police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, with the barricades on all major roads to restrict the movement of people.
Published: 06th August 2020 09:58 AM | Last Updated: 06th August 2020 09:58 AM | A+A A-
Security personnel outside the Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar. (Photo | Zahoor Punjabi, EPS)
SRINAGAR: On the first anniversary of the scrapping of Article 370, the J&K authorities on Wednesday imposed strict curfew-like restrictions in the Valley while the police foiled an all-party meeting called by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah at his residence to discuss the issue and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state.
The police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in strength in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, with the barricades on all major roads to restrict the movement of people. All the roads connecting Srinagar with other districts were sealed. The police detained many PDP leaders and workers ahead of the party’s planned protest. Among those detained included the party’s senior leader and former MLC Firdous Tak.
The securitymen also sealed all roads leading to Abdullah’s Gupkar Road residence by placing concertina wires and barricades. Abdullah had invited some mainstream leaders to attend the meeting at his residence to chalk out the future strategy.
NC Lok Sabha MP Hasnain Masoodi and the PDP’s Rajya Sabha member Fayaz Ahmad attempted to reach Abdullah’s residence but were turned away near Gupkar. Awami National Conference leader Muzzafar Shah too was stopped outside his house.
CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also made a futile attempt. “Locks on gates, lockdowns as celebrations and lies as defences has been the hallmark of last year. Today, political leaders were supposed to meet at Dr Abdullah’s residence to discuss the political challenges region is facing. But unfortunately, we were not allowed,” Tarigami tweeted.
Former CM Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to announce that the authorities did not allow the meeting. “One year on, this is Gupkar road today —police vehicles opposite our gates, concertina wire strung across the road at regular intervals and no vehicles allowed. My father had called a meeting of leaders of MAINSTREAM parties to deliberate on the current situation,” Omar tweeted. It was the first serious attempt by the Abdullahs after their release from detention in March this year to discuss the Article 370 revocation.