Shadow Correspondent
Doda, Sep 09:
Protests erupted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda, a day after Mehraj Malik representing the constituency as the lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator in Jammu and Kashmir was arrested under Public Safety Act (PSA). Thousands of protestors across
Doda Erupts in Protest
the district came out on streets to protest against Malik’s arrest.
A massive protest was held in Malik’s home town of Malikpura and Kahra areas which turned violent in Kahra in which some policemen were also injured in clashes with the angry protesters. But the main protest demonstration site was held at the clock tower in Doda town near the DC office as protestors kept shuttling between the clock tower and the old Bus Stand.
People raised slogans against the district administration and in favour of the MLA and demanded his early release.
The spontaneous protests took the police and administration by surprise because all the close aides of Malik were either hiding or were under preventive custody of the police. To avoid any protest, the Jammu and Kashmir police had blocked all the roads leading to Doda town but still supporters of MLA reached the area and became part of the protest.
Talking to ETV Bharat, AAP leader, Mumtaza Begum said that they had gathered in support of the MLA and will not leave the area till he is released.
“Even if we have to stay here during the night, we will do that but will not leave without seeing our MLA coming out of the prisons. What was his fault?”
Begum said that MLA Malik had reached the area to visit areas like Koti, Gundna and nearby areas to meet the families affected by the heavy rain “but he was arrested without any reason”.
“His only fault is that he talks about the downtrodden people and stays behind them by fighting the people who run things,” she said.
Mumtaza said that if the administration wanted to bring peace in the area and wanted people to go home, they should release the MLA without any further delay.
Earlier in the day police resorted to cane charging on protestors as soon as they assembled at clock tower but protestors didn’t leave and stayed at the spot peacefully. Police too kept calm and didn’t use any force against the protestors later.
In the Kahra area of Gandoh, people also came out to protest against Malik’s arrest under PSA and they had an altercation with police as well which led to an exchange of stones in which a few policemen were also injured.
In every area of district Doda, tight security was put in place and to keep an eye on the security situation, Deputy Inspector General of Police Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban range Shridhar Patil reached district headquarters Doda and held a meeting with police officers to review the situation. To avoid Assembly of people district administration Doda had also imposed section 163 of BNS but still people didn’t care and continued their protest.
It was on Monday that District Magistrate Doda Harvinder Singh had slapped PSA on Mehraj Malik for being a threat to public order as he had 18 FIRs and 10 daily diaries registered against him. As per the communication sent by DC Doda to Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly, it was mentioned that to maintain peace and public order in the district, the MLA was booked under PSA.
The situation snowballed after Malik led the shifting of a damaged health centre at Kencha village in Thathri block and livestreamed on his Facebook page where he allegedly used foul language against the Deputy Commissioner. He was later booked under an FIR on a complaint by the concerned block medical officer.
The situation in the district continues to remain on the edge as supporters of Malik kept the police and administration on tenterhooks.
Meanwhile, due to closure of all roads leading to district headquarters Doda, a two-month old girl Umaisa, daughter of Adil Hussain, a resident of Gundoh died when an ambulance was not allowed to cross a bridge over river Chenab in Pul Doda and reach the associated hospital Doda.
Police have taken cognizance of the matter and registered a case.
