Cong leaders say JKPCC chief Mir put under house arrest

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Friday said its chief Gulam Ahmed Mir was put under house arrest by the authorities here.

"Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Gulam Ahmed Mir Mir was put under house arrest in Jammu Friday afternoon. Restrictions were imposed on his movement within and outside the state," a party spokesman said.

Senior Congress leaders, including Tara Chand, Madan Lal Sharma, Mula Ram, Jugal Kishore, Yogesh Sawhney, Manohar Lal Sharma, strongly condemned the detention of Mir.

It as an undeclared emergency imposed in the state without any justification, they said.

They leaders said the governor administration on one hand and is claiming total normalcy in the state, but on the other hand detentions are taking place even in Jammu.

Earlier in the day, the state unit of the Congress was prevented from addressing a press conference here.

Police detained party's state unit chief spokesperson and former MLC Ravinder Sharma at the party headquarters here.

Sharma was about to address a press conference at the Shaheedi Chowk party headquarters when a police party appeared on the scene and asked him to accompany him as a senior officer wanted to talk to him.

A police officer said Sharma was taken into preventive custody to maintain law and order.

"There was an apprehension that his speech might instigate people and result in law and order situation," he said, asking not to be named.