Iltija Mufti questioned for 90 minutes in assault, rioting case

Srinagar, Aug 7: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti was questioned for around one-and-a-half hours by police in connection with an FIR registered over an assault and rioting during a protest in Srinagar on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. The questioning was conducted by the Station House Officer (SHO) of Police Station Kothibagh, who is also the investigating officer in the case, in the presence of a woman police officer. A senior police officer said Iltija Mufti cooperated with the investigation and assured the police that she would remain available whenever required during the course of the probe. “She cooperated fully during the investigation. She assured us that she will remain available whenever required during the investigation and will cooperate,” the officer told Greater Kashmir. Iltija arrived for questioning accompanied by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Reman Para and MLA Muntazir Mehdi. However, the two were not permitted to accompany her inside during the questioning, officials said. The questioning comes as police widen the probe into the August 4 incident in Srinagar, in which PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, Iltija Mufti, and several party workers were booked following a protest over the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. Police had registered FIR No 63/2026 at Police Station Kothibagh under provisions of the BharatiyaNyayaSanhita (BNS), including charges relating to assault and rioting. The case was registered in connection with allegations that protesters attempted to violate restrictions, blocked Residency Road, marched towards LalChowk and obstructed police personnel deployed for maintaining law and order. The police action followed restrictions in Srinagar ahead of August 5, when authorities had prohibited unauthorised protest demonstrations by political parties and organisations across J&K. The PDP, however, had announced its intention to protest against the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decisions, including the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A and the subsequent reorganisation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories. During the protest, police and protesters came face-to-face after security personnel attempted to prevent the gathering from moving towards LalChowk. Police subsequently booked several people in connection with the alleged violations. The investigation is not confined to Iltija Mufti, with police indicating that more people who were present during the incident are likely to be questioned. “There were many people and gradually they will be questioned, besides recording the statements of witnesses,” the senior police officer said. Officials said the investigation would seek to establish the sequence of events, identify the individuals involved in the confrontation with police personnel and record statements of witnesses as part of the evidence-gathering process. The questioning of Iltija is therefore being treated by investigators as part of the ongoing probe rather than as an isolated action against the PDP leader.

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