Sat Sep 13 06:06:33 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, drawing from the provided text:

**J&K Tensions Rise Amid Protests, Arrests, and Religious Concerns**

**Srinagar – September 13, 2025** – Security is tight across Jammu and Kashmir following a week of unrest fueled by two key issues: controversy surrounding the defacing of the national emblem at the Hazratbal shrine and the detention of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act (PSA).

Protests erupted in Doda district after Malik’s arrest, with demonstrators holding sit-ins demanding his release. Shops and offices remained closed due to the unrest, and internet services have been suspended for four days. This marks the first time a sitting MLA in J&K has been detained under the PSA.

The Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar saw a large turnout for Friday prayers despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the alteration of the national emblem by J&K Waqf Board chairperson Dr. Darakshan Andrabi. Meanwhile, Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was reportedly placed under house arrest and denied permission to lead prayers at the Jama Masjid in Srinagar. Farooq criticized the government’s interference in religious matters, from the emblem controversy to disruptions of religious holidays.

Political reactions have been sharp. The AAP is demanding an emergency Assembly session and for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to visit Doda and assess the situation. Opposition parties, including the PDP, condemned the denial of permission to the Mirwaiz to lead prayers, calling it a violation of religious freedom. The National Conference (NC) accused unnamed actors of deliberately engineering the disturbances to delay the restoration of statehood to J&K.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, joined worshippers at the Hazratbal shrine, praying for peace and brotherhood. Police are closely monitoring social media to prevent the spread of misinformation that could further destabilize the region. PDP Youth President Aditya Gupta questioned CM Abdullah “People of Doda are locked in their homes under curfew and cut off by an Internet blackout and the CM has chosen silence. There are no restrictions stopping him from visiting Doda, yet he refuses to go,”

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