Mehbooba Mufti alleges being placed under house arrest; police say no restrictions

SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that she has been placed under house arrest but police denied her allegations saying no restrictions were placed on her movement.

"While HM is going around Kashmir beating drums of normalcy, I am under house arrest for simply wanting to visit Pattan for a worker’s wedding. If an ex-CM’s fundamental rights can be suspended so easily, one can't even imagine the plight of a commoner (sic)," tweeted Mehbooba Mufti.

While HM is going around Kashmir beating drums of normalcy,I am under house arrest for simply wanting to visit Pattan for a worker’s wedding.If an ex CM’s fundamental rights can be suspended so easily, one cant even imagine the plight of a commoner.@AmitShah @manojsinha_ pic.twitter.com/5dYSfk8j1f

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 5, 2022

Mehbooba was among the three former Chief Ministers and mainstream leaders arrested and booked under stringent PSA after Article 370 revocation on August 5, 2019. She was later released in October 2020 and since her release, she has been placed under house detention on a few occasions.

Police, however, denied Mehbooba’s allegation that she was denied permission to travel to Pattan in north Kashmir and placed under house detention.

"It is clarified that no restriction of any kind travel to Pattan, travel to Pattan was at 1 pm as intimated to us. The picture tweeted by her is of inside of the gate with own lock of residents who stay in the bunglow. There is no lock or any restrictions. She is free to travel (sic)," tweeted Srinagar police.

I was informed last night by SP Baramulla @bhatray that I wouldn’t be allowed to travel to Pattan. Today @JmuKmrPolice have themselves locked my gates from inside & are now lying through their teeth. Sad that law enforcement agencies are brazenly trying to cover up their tracks. https://t.co/1giIjfy0eE

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 5, 2022

Police also released pictures of the main gate of Mehbooba’s residence. No armoured vehicles were placed at the main gate of Mehbooba’s residence.