75 detained in Kashmir after local election

Gulf Today Report

Kashmiri leaders and a police official said on Saturday that India’s government detained at least 75 political leaders and activists to forestall political unrest after an alliance of Kashmir’s regional political parties won a local election.

According to IANS, New Delhi then cracked down on the opposition and rounded up hundreds of people to preempt protests and violence.

The District Council election, concluded early this week, was the first such exercise since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government last year revoked the special status of the Muslim-majority, Indian-controlled region.

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Earlier, an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Friday, officials said.

Mehbooba Mufty (right) with Farooq Abdullah look on during a all party meeting in Srinagar. File/AFP

The new detentions, including separatist leaders and members of the banned Jamat-e-Islami group, were in preventive custody, said a senior police official, who asked not to be identified in line with official policy.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding, they came under a heavy volume of fire and retaliated.

"Encounter has started at Kanigam area of Shopian. Police and security forces are on the job," police said.