Doda, Sep 12,: For the fourth consecutive day, strict restrictions remained in place in Doda district as authorities, anticipating protests after Friday congregational prayers, intensified security measures and ordered the closure of educational institutions.
A curfew was strictly enforced with police using vans and public address systems to warn people to stay indoors. Officials said that several protest-prone localities were sealed, while internet services remained suspended across the district. In Mehraj Malik’s native village, even mobile calling facilities were blocked.
Sources said more than 80 people, including several women, have so far been detained in connection with protests triggered by the detention of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act.
“All schools in Doda will remain shut till Saturday. If the situation improves, schools are likely to reopen on Monday,” an official told Kashmir News Trust.
The heightened restrictions and large-scale detentions underline the tense atmosphere prevailing in the district since the legislator’s arrest. [KNT]
