'Act of Provocation': Mehbooba, Omar on Reports of Soldiers Entering Mosque

“Such a move when Amit Shah is here and that too ahead of yatra is simply an act of provocation,” Mufti said.

Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, 24 June, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed alarm at reports of army-men allegedly entering a local mosque and forcing people to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ during pre-dawn payers. 

“Such a move when Amit Shah is here and that too ahead of yatra is simply an act of provocation,” the former Chief Minister (CM) of Jammu and Kashmir tweeted.

Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir National Congress Vice President Omar Abdullah said he hopes Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issues instructions for these reports to be investigated “in a timely and transparent manner”.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED? 

As per The Indian Express, the incident took place at a mosque in Pulwama’s Zadoora village.

Locals have reportedly said that in the wee hours of Saturday, an Army patrol asked some villagers to step out of their home.  They were then allegedly told that the new recruits were being trained on how to call people during the night.

A villager also reportedly told The Indian Express that those part of the patrol talked politely, but kept the men out of their homes for about two hours.

The mosque was allegedly barged into a few hours later, during azaan. There have also been allegations of assault.

WHAT HAVE THE AUTHORITIES SAID?

According to The Indian Express, the Defence spokesperson is Srinagar said: “I have asked for details.”

Residents of the Zadoora village (in Pulwama) have also reportedly claimed that, in the aftermath of the incident, senior officers from the Army and the police assured them that they would look into the matter.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)