Article 370 Abrogation: 'Greater Kashmir' Journalist Detained Days After Scrapping of Special Status of J&K

Srinagar, August 15: A Kashmir-based journalist was detained days after the Centre scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. According to a report, Irfan Malik, who works for Greater Kashmir, the largest circulating English daily in Kashmir, was picked up from his home on Wednesday night. Irfan is a resident of Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

"They (security forces) arrived at our home at 11.30 pm last night. As soon Irfan came out, they told him to come with them…he was taken directly to the police station in Tral," Irfan’s father Mohammed Amin Malik was quoted by The Indian Express as saying. The family members met Irfan in the police station on Thursday. His mother, Haseena, appealed the police department to release his son. PM Narendra Modi Flays Congress Over Article 370 in Independence Day Speech, Asks 'Why Didn't You Make It Permanent If It Was So Important?'.

"I met him at the police station today. He (Irfan) too is not aware why he has been detained. I appeal to the police authorities to release my son, because he hasn’t done anything wrong," she said. Irfan's family had to travel Srinagar to inform media houses about his detention. Irfan's family members also met Superintendent of Police (SP) Awantipora, Tahir Saleem – under whose jurisdiction Tral falls. PM Narendra Modi 'Must End Lockdown' in Jammu & Kashmir Immediately: Amnesty International.

"He asked us if he (Irfan) has done some wrong reporting. We told him (SP) that Greater Kashmir newspaper (for which Irfan is working) is not publishing these days. SP Sahib then didn’t give a proper answer why my son has been detained and what are the charges against him," Irfan's mother said. SP Saleem, while speaking to The Indian Express, said that he had no information about Irfan's detention, but admitted his family met him.

President Ram Nath Kovind last week signed an order ending the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, a day after Parliament passed the resolution, along with a bill to bifurcate the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without a legislature.

Several political leaders, activists and separatists leaders have been detained since August 5. On Wednesday, IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal, who has been highly critical of the government's moves on Kashmir, was stopped from leaving the country and detained in Srinagar.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2019 10:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).