J&K turmoil: Ex-CMs Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah under house arrest

Mobile internet has been suspended across Kashmir Valley

Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami claimed they were arrested on Sunday night as Kashmir remained on edge with authorities stepping up security deployment.

However, no official confirmation was immediately available.

Police officials said former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti would not be allowed to move out of house as strict curfew would be imposed in Kashmir at the crack of dawn amid heightened terror threat and flare up of hostilities with Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

A complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. It should be noted that there will be no curfew in place as reported in a section of the media, ANI tweeted.

Jammu & Kashmir Government: There will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order. It should be noted that there will be no curfew in place as reported in a section of the media. https://t.co/EGENEM6qUz

— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2019

Sources said that the former CMs have been detained at their respective house.

National Conference leader Abdullah tweeted, "I believe I'm being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I'll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store."
 

"To the people of Kashmir, we don't know what is in store for us but I am a firm believer that what ever Almighty Allah has planned it is always for the better, we may not see it now but we must never doubt his ways. Good luck to everyone, stay safe & above all PLEASE STAY CALM," he said in another tweet.

The authorities suspended mobile Internet connection in Kashmir Valley, the officials said, adding that satellite phones were being provided to police officials and district magistrates.

Reacting to the development, Mehbooba tweeted, "Hearing reports about internet being snapped soon including cellular coverage. Curfew passes being issued too. God knows what awaits us tomorrow. It's going to be a long night."

"In such difficult times, I'd like to assure our people that come what may, we are in this together & will fight it out. Nothing should break our resolve to strive for what's rightfully ours," she said.

Kashmir remained on edge on Sunday as authorities stepped up security deployment at vital installations and sensitive areas amid heightened terror threat and flare up of hostilities with Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).

After the Jammu and Kashmir administration curtailed the Amarnath Yatra and asked pilgrims and tourists to leave the valley at the earliest on Friday, anxious residents continue to throng markets to stock on essentials and serpentine queues have been visible outside shops and fuel stations.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor S P Malik has dismissed speculations that the Centre might be planning to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state's residents in government jobs and land.

Political parties in J-K had expressed apprehensions about such action after the Centre deployed additional troops and curtailed the Amarnath Yatra.

Earlier in the day, regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir unanimously resolved to fight any attempt to abrogate the constitutional provisions that guarantee it special status or any move to trifurcate the state.