Arun Jaitley, Mehbooba Mufti not allowed to travel to Kishtwar

Zee Media Bureau

Srinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley, who had planned to lead a party team to trouble-torn Kishtwar in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, was detained at Jammu airport on Sunday. Jaitley’s plans to assess the ground situation in the violence hit area after authorities did not allow him to proceed after he landed at Jammu airport Sunday morning. He has been requested to return, an official said. BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Avinash Rai Khanna, who was to accompany Jaitley to Kishtwar, was also detained by police while he was trying to enter Kathua this morning while PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti claimed she was prevented from leaving her house in Sringar for a visit to the violence affected district in Jammu region. Meanwhile, curfew was extended to Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi and Katra towns of the state. The indefinite curfew imposed in Kishtwar ever since riots broke out Friday has remained, without a break, for three days now. Authorities also brought Jammu city and Rajouri town under curfew Saturday, in a bid to maintain law and order. Two people died in the communal riots that broke out in Kishtwar on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Over 20 sustained injuries in firing by unruly mobs. Arson and tension later spread to other parts of the state. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti was also prevented from leaving her residence for a visit to communal violence-hit Kishtwar district in Jammu region by authorities. "A police team has been deployed outside the main gate of my residence and we are not being allowed to leave the premises," Mehbooba told a news agency. The PDP president said she along with some other party colleagues wanted to visit Kishtwar town, which has been hit by communal violence since Eid on Friday. "My cavalcade has been stopped from reaching here (Gupkar residence of Mehbooba). Only my personnel security officer has been allowed to come in," she said. The PDP president said she had a duty towards the people of the state as she is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly. "I have some duty towards the people as leader of opposition. Our visit to the area was with the aim of calming the frayed tempers. We are a responsible party," she added. Senior police officials refused to comment on the move to restrict the movement of the PDP president. (With PTI/IANS Inputs)