"Caged Like Animals," Mehbooba Mufti's daughter writes to Amit Shah

Srinagar : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Javed released a voice note claiming her detention at her home, days after her mother was arrested. She wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah saying she has been "threatened with dire consequences" if she speaks to the media again. "Kashmiris have been caged like animals and deprived of basic human rights," she wrote in her letter.

Kashmir has been under the lock down since last 12 days with the top mainstream political leaders, including Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, under house arrest.

"Today while the rest of the country celebrates India's Independence Day, Kashmiris have been caged like animals and deprived of basic human rights," Javed wrote in her letter to Shah. She also mentioned that the guests are being turned away without any information and she is not allowed to step out of her house. 

In her letter to the Home Minister asking for an explanation for her alleged detention, she said security personnel cited her media interviews as the reason for her detention. "I've been threatened with dire consequences if I speak up again," the People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader's daughter wrote.

"For the world's largest democracy, doesn't a citizen not have a right to speak up in the face of unimaginable repression... It's a tragic irony that I am being treated like a war criminal for stating the inconvenient truth," Ms Javed said in the letter which was released along with the audio message.

She also raised alarm over fear of death.

"I am being treated like a criminal and I am under constant surveillance. I fear for my life along with those Kashmiris who have spoken up," she described in the audio message.

The government has already told the Supreme Court that imposed restrictions will be removed in phased manner. The apex body ruled that the government must be given its time in such sensitive matter.