Security beefed up across Kashmir ahead of SC verdict on Article 370

As the Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Article 370 on Monday, 11 December, authorities strengthened security arrangements in sensitive parts of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in summer capital Srinagar and adjoining areas, officials said.

Leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) headed by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti claimed to have been placed under house arrest, while certain restrictions were also placed on Gupkar Road housing the residence of prominent leaders including former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Mehbooba’s daughter Iltija Mufti said they have been placed under house arrest with a posse of policemen deployed at their Khimber residence on the outskirts of the city.

Police, however, neither confirmed nor denied the development which came just a few hours before the expected judgement of the Supreme Court on the constitutional validity of the Centre’s decision to abrogate controversial Article 370 in August 2019.

The officials said policemen have been deployed in numbers on the road leading to high-security Gupkar.

A posse of police personnel was deployed at the entry point of Gupkar Road and journalists were not allowed anywhere near the residence of the National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah.

In contrast to the heightened security in Kashmir, the security situation and deployment of police and paramilitary forces were near normal in the winter capital Jammu.

Movement of vehicles escorting or carrying VIPs and protected persons in "troublesome areas" should also be avoided, an advisory issued by the inspector general of police, Kashmir zone to all security forces and senior superintendents of police said.

The officials said strict vigil is being maintained across Jammu and Kashmir to maintain law and order.

The Cyber Police, Kashmir has advised social media users to use the platforms responsibly and refrain from sharing rumours, fake news, hate speeches or obscene, violent and defamatory content.

"Moreover, social media users are cautioned not to indulge in propagation of terrorist and secessionist ideology and false narrative," the Cyber Police said in an advisory.

The provisions of Article 370 were abrogated by the Centre on 5 August, 2019, and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. 

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said any report of the house arrest or arrest of anyone ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution is "totally baseless".

Sinha said this after the People's Democratic Party (PDP) claimed that its president Mehbooba Mufti was put under house arrest on Monday ahead of the Supreme Court verdict.

"This is totally baseless. In entire Jammu and Kashmir, no one has been put under house arrest or arrest. This is an attempt to spread rumour," the LG told reporters here.

Sinha said he is saying it with full responsibility that no one was put under house arrest or arrest for political reasons anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Even before Supreme Court judgement is pronounced, police has sealed the doors of the residence of PDP president @MehboobaMufti and put her under illegal house arrest," the party said in a post on X.