Security vigil heightened in J&Okay in wake of Hazratbal controversy and tense Doda scenario

Security vigil was heightened in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday (September 12, 2025), within the wake of unease and unrest sparked by the latest Hazratbal Emblem controversy and detention of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Mehraj Malik Doda 5 days in the past.

Officials stated Friday prayers have been allowed in most components of Doda district amid prohibitory orders. Most retailers and workplaces remained closed in Doda because of latest road unrest sparked by MLA’s detention by the district authorities underneath stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). It’s for the primary time a sitting MLA has been arrested underneath PSA in J&Okay.

 Meanwhile, locals stated Internet shutdown continued for the fourth day in Doda. Senior police officers throughout conferences with the native civil society teams sought cooperation “to take care of calm” throughout Friday prayers. Officials stated a lot of the Friday prayers remained peaceable within the area.

J&Okay Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat additionally directed district police heads within the Union Territory “to carefully monitor social media platforms to forestall the unfold of misinformation that might jeopardise public security and order”.

The AAP, nonetheless, continued to agitate over the detention of Mr. Malik. Muddasir Hassan, spokesman of the AAP in J&Okay, appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to convene an emergency Assembly session. “Mr. Abdullah ought to go to Doda and personally assess the bottom scenario,” Mr. Hassan stated.

In the Kashmir valley, lots of of worshippers thronged the Hazratbal shrine amid the latest controversy over the defiling of the National Emblem on a recently-installed plaque on the shrine by the J&Okay Waqf Board chairperson Dr. Darakshan Andrabi on September 5. 

Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was denied permission to guide prayers on the historic Jama Masjid in Srinagar and was “positioned underneath home arrest”. “On the event of Majlis-e-Rahmat-ul-lil-Alameen at Jama Masjid, I used to be positioned underneath home arrest. Our human and political rights already stand denied. There is relentless interference in our non secular issues from locking us as much as silencing our voice on points starting from the Ashoka plaque at Hazratbal to meddling with Muslim calendar holidays, to disallowing non secular capabilities at masjids,” the Mirwaiz stated.

He stated the pulpit of Jamia Masjid will “proceed to boost its voice on issues of spiritual interference or blatant violation of individuals’s rights and their disempowerment”.

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party chief Zuhaib Yousf stated the transfer to disclaim permission to the Mirwaiz on a spiritual event “undermines elementary non secular freedoms”. “Let me remind this authoritarian regime that this nation nonetheless abides by the structure and Article 25, which adumbrated Freedom of conscience and free career, apply and propagation of faith,” Mr. Yousf stated.

Amid a good safety cowl, National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and J&Okay Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, joined worshippers on the Hazratbal shrine on the event.

“May Allah relieve the individuals of J&Okay from their troubles. Conflict is widespread globally, and Muslims are enduring immense struggling in Gaza and elsewhere. May Allah bless all Muslims and the individuals of J&Okay. I prayed for peace and brotherhood between Muslims and Hindus,” Dr. Abdullah stated, after providing the Friday prayers.

 In Jammu, NC provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta, stated the continued disturbances within the area have been “intentionally engineered to delay the promised restoration of statehood to J&Okay.”

 “Take a take a look at what occurred in Hazratbal. The regulation is obvious: the revered Emblem of our nice nation belongs to authorities workplaces, not non secular locations. We have by no means seen such an emblem utilized in any non secular establishment or occasion,” Mr. Gupta stated. He stated the detention of Mr. Malik was “as half of a bigger conspiracy to gas disturbances throughout the area”. 

A press convention was held at PDP Headquarters, Jammu, on the prevailing scenario in District Doda. The briefing was addressed by Party Youth President Aditya Gupta, General Secretary Youth (Chenab Valley) Tanveer Hussain, and State Secretary youth(Chenab Valley)Mohd Awais Chowdhary & Addl Spokesperson Rajat Randhawa.

Opposition PDP Youth President Aditya Gupta questioned CM Abdullah. “People of Doda are locked of their houses underneath curfew and lower off by an Internet blackout and the CM has chosen silence. There are not any restrictions stopping him from visiting Doda, but he refuses to go,” Mr. Gupta stated.