Sun Feb 09 19:18:35 UTC 2025: **Jammu and Kashmir PDP Leader Detained After Accusing Police of Torture and Extortion**
JAMMU, February 10, 2025 – Iltija Mufti, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was prevented from holding a press conference on Sunday after visiting the family of Makhan Din, a 26-year-old man who died by suicide after alleging police torture.
Ms. Mufti accused the Jammu and Kashmir Police of detaining her at the Circuit House in Jammu. She had earlier accused the Kathua’s Billawar Station House Officer (SHO) of torture and extortion, claiming that the SHO detains young people, demands money, and files false charges against those unable to pay. She stated that she traveled to Kathua early Sunday morning to meet with families who shared similar allegations.
Upon her return to Jammu, police allegedly prevented her from addressing the media. Ms. Mufti demanded a judicial inquiry into Din’s death and the alleged police misconduct. She criticized Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for what she perceived as his lack of response to the situation.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the authorities’ actions, stating that visiting victims’ families has been effectively criminalized. She further criticized the government’s apparent disregard for democratic rights and highlighted the perceived double standard in police treatment of different political figures. The incident has sparked controversy and renewed calls for accountability within the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
First Piper 