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

Ahead of the Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370, security has been beefed up in Jammu and Kashmir with additional contingents of security forces personnel deployed at sensitive locations. Regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir said police have stepped up surveillance on their workers and leaders and have directed them to refrain from any kind of demonstration.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): People's Democratic Party (PDP) said that its 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. "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.

But District Police in an apparent rebuttal to the PDP's statement, wrote in a post on X, "No person has been put under house arrest". "Common public is appealed to desist from posting/sharing/propagating instigative/provocative content, misinformation & rumour mongering across social media platforms," added the police spokesperson.

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. 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.

Omar Abdullah lives with his father after he vacated his official residence in October 2020. 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. All eyes are on the Supreme Court judgment. A five-member constitution bench of the court headed by the Chief Justice of India will be announcing the verdict today.

Security has been beefed up in Jammu and Kashmir to deal with any possible law and order situation. The Article 370, which gave a special status to the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state under the Constitution of India, was abrogated by the BJP led central government on August 5, 2019. In view of SC's judgment scheduled to be pronounced today, security deployment has been increased in Kashmir Valley and Jammu while strict monitoring is being maintained on social media by the security forces.

On Monday morning, additional security forces were seen manning the checkpoints at sensitive locations across Srinagar city and peripheries. Checkpoints have been set up in and around Srinagar city and random frisking and checking of vehicles and people are being done, the officials said. Checkpoints have also been set up at a few places in other districts of Kashmir.

However, there is no restriction on the movement of people anywhere in the valley. The officials said the security agencies are keeping a hawk's eye on the situation and attempts to disturb peace will be dealt with sternly. Ahead of the SC's Article 370 verdict, Cyber Police Kashmir on Sunday issued an advisory urging social media users in the region to “exercise responsibility aimed at discouraging spread of rumors, fake news, hate speech, and inappropriate content”.

“All the social media users are advised to use social media platform responsibly and refrain from sharing rumours, fake news, hate speech or obscene, violent and defamatory content,” read the advisory by Cyber Police. “Moreover, social media users are cautioned not to indulge in propagation of terrorist and secessionist ideology and false narrative,” it added.

The Cyber Police said that “circulation of any incriminatory content received from other users without verifying the actual facts may be avoided and on noticing/receiving any such information, instead of sharing with others, immediately inform Cyber Police Kashmir”. The regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, including the National Conference, PDP, People's Conference, Awami National Conference and CPIM had filed a batch of petitions in the Supreme Court against the abrogation of Article 370, on which the court will pronounce its decision today.

After a long wait of four years, the court heard the batch of petitions over the matter in August this year and today will deliver its verdict three months after the conclusion of 16 day daily hearings. Opposition political parties, particularly the National Conference and the PDP, have claimed that the police have stepped up surveillance on their workers and leaders and have directed them to refrain from any kind of demonstration.

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah has assured the government that even if the court's decision is against the people, they will maintain law and order. (With inputs from PTI)