Mehbooba protests against detention of PDP workers; police respond

Bijbehara, May 25: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and candidate for Anantnag- Rajouri Lok Sabha seat Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday staged a protest in south Kashmir's Bijbehara area against the detentions of her party workers.

However, police responded by saying that mostly OGWs have been detained to ensure peaceful elections.

Mehbooba staged a sit-in along with her workers in front of Bijbehara police station. She alleged that the LG administration was attempting to repeat 1987. "All PDP polling agents have been detained in different police stations", she said.

Mehbooba said that Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced from Red Fort that free and fair polls would be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir.

" ...And are you there to destroy everything", Mehbooba questioned LG Manoj Sinha.
Responding to Mehbooba, Police in Anantnag said that only a few people were detained who have tainted past and based on credible inputs of potential threats to law and order and security on polling day.

"Mostly they are OGWs and are taken into preventive custody for ensuring a safe and peaceful elections", the police in a post on X.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Apni Party candidate Zafar Iqbal Manhas claimed that several workers of his party were also detained, but "Mehbooba is playing a victim play card".