Mehbooba Mufti put under 'house arrest' ahead of SC verdict on Article 370

Mehbooba Mufti. File Pic

People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti was put under house arrest on Monday ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that conferred a special status on Jammu and Kashmir, her party claimed, reported news agency PTI.

"Even before Supreme Court judgement is pronounced, police has sealed the doors of the residence of PDP president @MehboobaMufti and put her under illegal house arrest," the party said in a post on X.

However, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the news of house arrest or arrest of anyone ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is "totally baseless", reported PTI.

Meanwhile, police did not allow journalists to gather near National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah's residence at Gupkar here, officials said, reported PTI.

A posse of police personnel was deployed at the entry point of Gupkar Road and journalists were not allowed anywhere near the residence of the NC leaders, reported PTI.

An NC leader said the main gate of the residence was locked by the police in the morning.

"Mr @OmarAbdullah has been locked up in his house. Democracy?" NC's additional state spokesperson Sara Hayat Shah said in a post on X.

She also posted pictures of the locked gate of the Abdullah residence on the microblogging platform.

Omar Abdullah lives with his father after he vacated his official residence in October 2020, reported PTI.

While Farooq Abdullah, who is the Member of Parliament from Srinagar, is in Delhi for the ongoing Parliament session, his son is in the valley, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Article 370 on Monday, authorities strengthened security arrangements in sensitive parts of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in summer capital Srinagar and adjoining areas, officials said, reported PTI.

The officials said policemen have been deployed in numbers on the road leading to high-security Gupkar and have restricted the movement of the people, reported PTI.

In contrast to the heightened security in Kashmir, the security situation and deployment of police and paramilitary forces were near normal in the winter capital Jammu, reported PTI.

Movement of vehicles escorting or carrying VIPs and protected persons in "troublesome areas" should also be avoided, an advisory issued by the inspector general of police, Kashmir zone to all security forces and senior superintendents of police said, reported PTI.

The officials said strict vigil is being maintained across Jammu and Kashmir to maintain law and order, reported PTI.

The Cyber Police, Kashmir has advised social media users to use the platforms responsibly and refrain from sharing rumours, fake news, hate speeches or obscene, violent and defamatory content, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)