Poonch: Jammu and Kashmir’s former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti Monday has been barred from visiting the families of three civilians killed in Pir Panchal’s Poonch on Saturday.
She staged a sit-in protest in the Bulfaiz area, stating the perceived disparity in treatment, as unionists like NC’s Farooq Abdullah and BJP’s Devendra Raina were freely permitted to visit and offer condolences to the affected families.
“Militants come and kill army men, and in response, army personnel kill innocent local people. Despite visits from leaders of the NC and BJP, the PDP was barred; the administration cited security reasons when we arrived and stopped us," she told reporters.
“Why don’t they (administration) want us to visit the affected families, it means they are hiding something,” she said
The people of Jammu and Kashmir weren’t refugees when they joined Gandhi’s India. We had enormous resources, land, lakes, forests and much more, she said.
“I heard women were also intimidated,” she added.
Three of eight civilians picked up by forces Friday morning for questioning in connection with a militant ambush the previous day on two military vehicles in J&K’s Poonch district were ‘found dead’. The ambush, which took place on Thursday evening, resulted in the death of four troopers.
