JKPC says Sajad Lone placed under ‘house arrest’ on father’s death anniversary

The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference on Thursday claimed that its President and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone was placed under house arrest on the death anniversary of his father, slain leader Abdul Gani Lone.

In a statement, the party condemned the action and termed it “unfortunate and undemocratic”.

“Preventing the President of JKPC and MLA Handwara from paying tribute to his martyred father is unfortunate and undemocratic. Such actions hurt public sentiments and weaken democratic values,” JKPC said in the statement.

There was no immediate reaction from the authorities to the party’s claim.

Separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone was gunned down by militants on May 21, 2002, at Eidgah in Srinagar. The death anniversary of another prominent Kashmiri leader, Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq — father of Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq — is also observed on May 21. Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq was assassinated on May 21, 1990.

For years, shutdowns were observed across the Valley on May 21 to mark the anniversaries of the two leaders. However, no shutdown call has been issued in recent years.