A suspected blast in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Thursday sparked panic in the area, sources said. The explosion took place at Dumri Mohalla near Jamia Masjid in Doda, they added.
Police teams reached the spot, and further details are awaited. Two people have been detained for questioning.
The district remains tense following the detention of over 80 people and violent clashes between protesters and security forces after AAP MLA Mehraj Malik was arrested under the Public Safety Act (PSA) on Monday.
For the third day in a row, prohibitory orders stayed in place across Doda. Mobile internet and WiFi services also remained suspended as a precaution. The administration on Monday had invoked Section 163 of the BNSS Act, which restricts public movement without prior permission.
Heavy security has been deployed around Doda town, Bhaderwah, Gandoh, and Thathri due to tension over alleged administrative high-handedness.
Concertina wires were placed near government offices to prevent unrest, while police vehicles patrolled the streets, urging residents to remain indoors.
Officials said Malik, who won the Doda seat in the 2024 Assembly polls by over 4,500 votes, was arrested under the PSA for allegedly disturbing public order. He has been lodged in Kathua district jail. This marks the first time a sitting MLA in Jammu and Kashmir has been booked under the strict law, which allows detention without charge or trial for up to two years in certain cases.
On Wednesday, protesters tried to break restrictions, prompting baton charges by security personnel at three locations. Several demonstrators, including women, were detained, though some were later released.
All schools in the district have been ordered shut until Sunday, while shops and businesses remain closed. The administration cited the volatile situation after Malik’s arrest, calling him a government critic who used “provocative speeches and abusive language” on social media to disturb peace.
Malik’s father, Shamas Din Malik, appealed for his son’s release, saying he no longer wished to pursue the matter in courts. “I want my son back. I have met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who said he would see what he could do,” he said.
The AAP, meanwhile, accused the Centre of political targeting. At a protest in Jammu, AAP MP Sanjay Singh condemned the arrest, saying the party would continue its struggle “against injustice on the streets, in Parliament, and if needed, in the Supreme Court.”
Earlier in the week, eight police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police and a station house officer, were injured in clashes.
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