In a late night development in J&K on Sunday, police officials said former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti would not be allowed to move out of house as strict curfew would be imposed in Kashmir at the crack of dawn amid heightened terror threat and flare up of hostilities with Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC).
However, no official confirmation was immediately available.
Omar and Mehbooba in tweets claimed they have been put under house arrest.
“I believe I’m being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I'll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store. Allah save us,” he tweeted.
Mehbooba tweeted, “How ironic that elected representatives like us who fought for peace are under house arrest. The world watches as people & their voices are being muzzled in J&K. The same Kashmir that chose a secular democratic India is facing oppression of unimaginable magnitude. Wake up India.”
The Jammu district administration asked authorities of schools and colleges to remain closed on Monday as a precautionary measure, officials said.
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Omar, Mehbooba say under house arrest
40 CRPF companies have been also deployed in Kashmir.
Jammu & Kashmir Congress leader Usman Majid and CPI (M) MLA MY Tarigami said they have been arrested, reported PTI.
The Government has imposed restrictions under section 144 CrPC in district Srinagar with effect from midnight August 5 which shall remain in force till further orders. According to the order, there will be a complete bar on holding any kind of public meetings or rallies during the period of operation of this order.
It should be noted that there will be no curfew in place as reported in a section of the media. Jammu and Kashmir Governor S P Malik has dismissed speculations that the Centre might be planning to do away with Article 35A of the Constitution, which gives exclusive rights to the state's residents in government jobs and land.
Deputy Commissioner of Jammu Sushma Chauhan said on Sunday night, "All schools, colleges and academic institutions, both private and Government, are advised to remain closed as a measure of caution."
This step has been taken in view of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following multi-fold increase in the security deployment due to threat perception, officials said.
Earlier, security across Jammu region was strengthened with additional deployment of paramilitary forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), in various districts especially in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, they said.
