Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Sunday, said he and his father Farooq Abdullah (also former CM) have been "locked up" at their residence in Srinagar by the police authorities without any explanation. This come nearly 11 months after he was released from house arrest amid the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the Jammu and Kashmir police maintained that VIP protectees were advised against moving out in view of "adverse inputs."
Omar posted on Twitter photos of security vehicles stationed outside his residence on the Gupkar Road and said that his sister and her children, who live next doors, have been locked up as well. When Omar ABdullah was under house arrest in August 2019, his sister, Sara Abdullah Pilot had filed a petition against the Jammu and Kashmir's administration's move to charge Omar Abdullah under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The National Conference leader also asked under which law he had been "detained."
"This is the 'naya/new J&K' after August 2019. We get locked up in our homes with no explanation. It's bad enough they've locked my father (a sitting MP) and me in our home; they've locked my sister and her kids in their home as well," Omar tweeted. In another tweet, he said, "Chalo, your new model of democracy means that we are kept in our homes without explanation. But on top of that, the staff at the house aren't also not being allowed in and then you are surprised that I'm still angry and bitter."
This is the “naya/new J&K” after Aug 2019. We get locked up in our homes with no explanation. It’s bad enough they’ve locked my father (a sitting MP) & me in our home, they’ve locked my sister & her kids in their home as well. pic.twitter.com/89vOgjD5WM
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2021
The two former Chief Ministers were said to be planning to travel out of Srinagar to address party workers.
The police claimed that due to adverse intelligence inputs, the movement of protected persons had been discouraged and all concerned were informed well in advance not to plan their tours on Sunday. "Today is the 2nd anniversary of dreaded Lethpora terror incident. There shall be NO Road Opening Party on ground. Due to adverse inputs, movement of VIPs/Protected Persons has been discouraged and all concerned informed in advance NOT to plan a tour today," police tweeted.
https://t.co/3Vtj1sPcvi Today is 2nd Anniversary of dreaded Lethpora Terror incident. There shall be NO ROP on ground. Due to adverse inputs, movement of VIPs/ProtectedPersons has been discouraged
— SRINAGAR POLICE (@PoliceSgr) February 14, 2021
and all concerned were informed in advance NOT to plan a tour today. @OmarAbdullah
Omar Abdullah later asked the police to share the written communication sent to him and acknowledged by him that called for restricting his movement on the second anniversary of the Pulwama terror attack of 2019. In a series of tweets, Omar asked under which law the police had "detained" him at his home.
"I'm not even sure if this is actually a police Twitter handle since it's not verified. But assuming it is, please tell me under which law you have detained me in my home today? You can advise me not to leave my house but you can't force me to stay in using security as an excuse," the former CM tweeted.
"Please share the written communication addressed to me and acknowledged by me (or my office), informing us in advance of these restrictions. Surely, this anniversary didn't come as a surprise to the administration."
Please note that none of the people who have been detained in their homes today have been marked on this document. More over it still doesn’t answer under what law police trucks are parked outside our gates preventing us from leaving. https://t.co/gfiSByydcU
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 14, 2021
On Saturday, another former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti alleged that she was prevented from moving out of her residence on the Gupkar Road to visit south Kashmir's Pulwama district to meet with the family of teenager Athar Mushtaq who was killed in an encounter on the Srinagar outskirts on December 30, 2020.