Authorities taking people into preventive custody in Kashmir, says Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Srinagar: Separatist Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday alleged that the authorities in Kashmir were taking people into preventive custody ahead of the assembly elections.

He also claimed that the authorities placed him under house arrest and did not allow him to attend a "crucial meeting" of an organisation of Islamic clerics on Thursday.

"As assembly elections are nearing, despite the Election Commission of India's guidelines that preventive detention and asking people to report to police stations should be avoided, dozens of people from across towns and villages and Srinagar city are being detained," Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat faction said in an emailed statement.

"People, especially political workers, and youth are being harassed and asked to report to police stations, seeking surety bonds from them," he added.

The Mirwaiz said long lists of people had been prepared in each police station to be detained in view of the elections.

"There is fear among those being detained and those whose names are in these lists that, once arrested, they will be booked under the draconian PSA (Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act) and the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act)," he said.

The Mirwaiz appealed to the authorities to desist from such actions that create fear and intimidate people.

The three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 8.