Kashmir’s chief cleric and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday claimed that he was placed under house arrest and prevented from visiting central Kashmir’s Budgam district to offer condolences to the family of a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered two days ago.
In a statement posted on social media, the Mirwaiz said he had informed authorities a day in advance about his proposed visit to Budgam.
“Placed under house arrest early morning today after being denied permission to visit Budgam (all my visits are subject to permission by authorities, who are to be informed a day earlier) to offer condolences and share in the grief of the bereaved family who lost their 12 year old girl child in a brutal and shocking incident,” he said.
He further alleged that authorities were uneasy even with “a basic humanitarian gesture” of expressing sympathy with the bereaved family.
“It is strange that even a basic humanitarian gesture of expressing sympathy and condolence with the bereaved threatens the rulers and their narrative of “peace and normalcy”,” Mirwaiz said.
There was no immediate official response to the claims made by the Mirwaiz.
Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested a load carrier driver in his late twenties for allegedly murdering and raping the minor girl in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, a crime that had sent shockwaves across the Valley.
