Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said she was not allowed to visit south Kashmir’s Pulwama to meet the father of slain youth Athar Wani, who was killed in the controversial Lawaypora encounter in Srinagar in December last year.
A party spokesman said Ms. Mufti had sought permission from the police to visit Mushtaq Ahmad Wani in Pulwama’s Bellow area. “However, a police vehicle was parked before the gate and the main road is also blocked by the security forces,” a party spokesman said.
Taking to Twitter, Ms. Mufti wrote, “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 the GOI wants to showcase to the EU delegation visiting Kashmir.”
She said there was a reign of suppression and terror in Kashmir.
“It’s the unvarnished and unpalatable truth that the GOI wants to hide from the rest of the country. A 16-year-old is killed and then hurriedly buried, denying his family the right and chance to perform his last rites,” Ms. Mufti alleged.
Mr. Wani was among seven people booked on February 7 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act by the J&K police for organising a protest “pressing for the return of body of slain son”, who was buried in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
The police have, however, not issued any statement on the detention of Ms. Mufti yet.
