Shah Faesal sent back to Kashmir from Delhi, detained under PSA in Srinagar

There will be some restrictions on I-Day in Kashmir; Army, BSF put on high alert along LoC

15/08/2019

SRINAGAR, Aug 14: Former IAS officer Shah Faesal on Wednesday was sent back to Kashmir from the Delhi airport and detained here under the Public Safety Act (PSA), officials said.
Faesal, who was bound for Istanbul, was detained at the airport during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, they said.
His purpose of visiting turkey was not immediacy known, they said.
The former bureaucrat from Jammu and Kashmir had floated a political outfit after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
After being detained at the Delhi airport, he was again detained under the PSA on his arrival in Srinagar, the officials said.
Post the removal of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, provided under Article 370, Faesal had said Kashmir is experiencing an "unprecedented" lockdown and its eight million population "incarcerated" like never before.
He is among the last political leaders who have been placed under house arrest.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were detained after the Centre revoked the special status and announced that the state be bifurcated into the territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Faesal is the president of the J&K Peoples Movement party.
The Jammu and Kashmir authorities last week airlifted a fresh batch of 20 "potential troublemakers" from Srinagar to Agra as a precautionary measure in the wake of constitutional changes made by the government. Among those airlifted include president of Kashmir High Court Bar Association Mian Qayoom.
There will be some restrictions in Kashmir Valley on Independence Day even as the situation has been calm, a senior official said on Wednesday.
"There have been no major report of any untoward incident. All civil supplies continue to be normal. Any detention or arrest is based on local assessment," Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal said addressing a press conference here.
Kansal said sometimes reasonable restrictions are necessary in order to ensure that public order is not disturbed.
"The general view is that the situation has been calm, relaxed, there have been no reports of untoward incidents which prompted relaxations. Based on local assessments, there will be some relaxations tomorrow and the general policy is to relax as much as possible," he said.
The officer said other major aspects including civilian supplies, medical facilities, availability of both normal and emergency medicines, power supply continue to be normal.
"We give you the information that we have, you are free to carry out your own verifications and form your opinions," he said.
Kansal said Jammu and Kashmir has seen difficult time in 2008, in 2016 and on many occasions in the past.
"The state had to pass through difficult circumstances, there had been reports of loss of human lives, casualties. In the present circumstances, however, it is a matter of some satisfaction that there has been no casualty, there has been no loss of lives," he said.
Asked about the detention of former IAS officer Shah Faesal, Kansal said any detentions, arrests are based on local assesments of law and order and requirements and are taken accordingly. "We do not comment on any individuals," he said.
The officer said a large number of devotees offered prayers on Eid on Monday and there was no report of any untoward incident.
Referring to the facilities offered by the administration, he said in Srinagar alone, almost 14,000 phone calls have been made by people through public call points.
Additional DGP of Jammu and Kashmir Police Javed Gillani, who also spoke to the media, said there have been detentions under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and some people have also been shifted out of the state
"As of now, as we speak, there are only two people in the hospital with some injuries, rest of them had got some minor injuries and discharged," he said.
Gillani also said the administration has put reasonable restrictions to prevent any law and order situation.
The clampdown came into force on August 5 when the Centre stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and split it into two Union territories.
Ahead of Independence Day anniversary celebrations, the Army and BSF have been put on high alert to step up vigil along Indo-Pak border, officials said on Wednesday.
In Jammu region, police has also been put on high degree of vigilance in most of the districts amid intensification of frisking and checking in Jammu city, they said.
This is the first Independence Day after the abrogation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and reorganization of the state into two Union Territories.
"Army is on alert along LoC in view of the Independence day and increased movement across LoC", a official said.
Similarly, the BSF is keeping close watch and tight vigilance along International Border (IB), mostly in sensitive areas, they said.
Police in Jammu have sought cooperation from the general public for a secure and successful celebration of the Independence Day, urging them to immediately report any suspicious person or object.
People have been asked to inform police in case they notice any suspicious person or object, an advisory issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police (Security), Jammu, said.
They have been advised to not carry arms and ammunition, sharp-edged weapons, hand bags, polythene bags, transistors, hand fire extinguishers, stop watch, any kind of powder, inflammable material like cigarettes, match boxes, lighter, cameras and alike objectionable items, the advisory added.
People have been advised to cooperation with security personnel and not hesitate in disclosing their identity if requested by security personnel.
District administrations have been constantly reviewing the security situation since the government scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status on August 5.
An unprecedented security arrangement has been put in place to avoid any trouble in the border state. Also, internet and telecommunication lines had been completely suspended immediately after the government move.
But these restrictions are being gradually lifted after review by senior officials.
Railway police conducted sanitation operation at Railway stations in Udhampur, Katra and Jammu, Kathua and also along the tracks with sniffer dogs and metal detectors, they said.
The security has been increased at all the railway stations in view of the Independence Day, they said.

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