JAMMU: PDP’s Iltija Mufti Sunday claimed she was detained in Jammu and stopped from addressing a press conference after her return from Billawar, in Kathua district, where she had gone to offer condolences to the family of Makhan Din. Twenty-five-year-old Makhan died by suicide allegedly after police torture during questioning. Kathua DM and police have ordered separate inquiries into the death.
Iltija posted on X: “Detained at Circuit House Jammu now. All this because @JmuKmrPolice wanted me to cancel my press conference scheduled for 4 pm. The elected govt is too busy hosting a lunch in Delhi to care about victims of human rights violations”.
Former J&K chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who is Iltija’s mother, strongly criticized the detention. Her X post stated: “It appears that the ruling party’s understanding of democracy extends only as far as holding elections and forming a govt, with little regard for the fundamental freedoms that underpin a true democracy. Very unfortunate and ironical that one NC minister’s visit to Bilawer was facilitated by police and Iltija is being punished for the same.”