Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir's state chief between 2009 and 2015, claimed on Sunday that he and his family - including his father and veteran parliamentarian, the 83-year-old Farooq Abdullah - have been put under house arrest by the authorities.
In a series of tweets, he posted photos of security vehicles stationed outside his residence in Gupkar Road in Srinagar and said that his sister and her children, who live next door, have been locked up as well.
This is the “naya/new J&K” after Aug 2019. We get locked up in our homes with no explanation. It’s bad enough they’ve locked my father (a sitting MP) & me in our home, they’ve locked my sister & her kids in their home as well. pic.twitter.com/89vOgjD5WM
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2021
Targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Abdullah said in a "new model of democracy" people are kept in their home without explanation.
Chalo, your new model of democracy means that we are kept in our homes without explanation but on top of that the staff that works in the house aren’t being allowed in and then you are surprised that I’m still angry & bitter.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2021
Soon after the tweet from the former state chief, the Jammu and Kashmir police said they were discouraging the movement of VIPs since it was the second anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF troopers had been killed.
https://t.co/3Vtj1sPcvi Today is 2nd Anniversary of dreaded Lethpora Terror incident. There shall be NO ROP on ground. Due to adverse inputs, movement of VIPs/ProtectedPersons has been discouraged
— SRINAGAR POLICE (@PoliceSgr) February 14, 2021
and all concerned were informed in advance NOT to plan a tour today. @OmarAbdullah
Another former state chief, Mehbooba Mufti, has also alleged that she was stopped from visiting the family of Athar Mushtaq, who was killed in a controversial police encounter on 30 December 2020.
Placed under house arrest as usual for trying to visit the family of Athar Mushtaq killed allegedly in a fake encounter. His father was booked under UAPA for demanding his dead body. This the normalcy GOI wants to showcase to the EU delegation visiting Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/xFkcqTGQyV
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 13, 2021