J&K DDC polls: Jammu right-wing outfit holds protest as leader denied Kishtwar visit

At a polling station in Chonthimulla in Bandipora district on Thursday. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

IkkJutt, a right-wing outfit based in Jammu, alleged on Sunday that its chairman was not allowed to visit Kishtwar to campaign for seventh and eighth phases of District Development Council elections. The two phases of polling in question are scheduled on December 16 and 19.

The outfit said its chairman, Ankur Sharma, had planned to hold meetings with workers and intellectuals in the district over two days, beginning Sunday. He was informed at the last minute by the Kishtwar district administration that he cannot visit the area, it added.

Sharma said that since he was a Y-category protectee, he had to inform about his tour programme to the security wing of the UT police in advance. The security wing came to know about his tour plan on Saturday evening and advised him against visiting the district.

“Kishtwar SSP Dr Harmeet Singh told me that I can’t be allowed to enter the district as the situation there was already volatile and my arrival could make things go out of control,” Sharma said, adding he that decided to heed the advice considering the sixth phase of polling for the Council on Sunday.

Asked if the IkkJutt Jammu chairman was advised not to visit Kishtwar, the Kishtwar SSP said, “I will have to check.” However, he admitted having a word with Sharma on his visit, adding that the “situation always remains volatile in Kishtwar”.

Workers aligned to the outfit held protests at various places including Akhnoor, Jammu, Kathua and Chadwal.

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