On Pulwama Attack Anniversary, Farooq Abdullah Stopped From Visiting Jammu

Farooq Abdullah, Member of Parliament from Srinagar and President of National Conference, today said that he has been placed under house arrest and has been disallowed from visiting Jammu.

"I was scheduled to visit Jammu today. This morning, I was informed by security officials that I cannot step out of my house," he said.

The former J&K chief minister said that police cited the anniversary of the Pulwama terrorist attack for not allowing his travel to Jammu. "I don't know what it has to do with my travel. Everyone is moving but they didn't allow me to travel to Jammu," Mr Abdullah said.

A police official explained that based on a security advisory issued by the Inspector General of Police yesterday, all types of VIP movement and even the movement of security convoys were to be avoided today.

"There is no specific order to disallow the movement of Dr Farooq Abdullah. Today, all types of VIP moment has been avoided following a security advisory," the police official said.

Mr Abdullah, however, accused the Union Territory administration of deliberately curbing the movement of political leaders in Kashmir. "It exposes their claims of peace and normalcy," he said.

The administration has downgraded the security of Mr Abdullah and three other former J&K chief ministers - Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

The government had last month withdrawn the Special Security Group (SSG) cover from former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir. Now, the UT administration has decided to withdraw jammers and ambulances from the security detail of former CMs when they are in the Srinagar district.

"I have been asking them to withdraw the entire security detail. I don't need it," said Mr Abdullah.