PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti urged J&K police to release Shia protesters, including women, detained for mourning the 'martyrdom' of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. She highlighted authorities' unfulfilled promise of their release.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Jammu and Kashmir police to release protesters from the Shia community detained across the Kashmir valley for demonstrating against the US-backed assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini. In a post on X, Mufti said that several individuals, including women, had been arrested in Kashmir while taking part in rallies.
"Scores of protestors, including women, have been arrested across Kashmir for peacefully participating at rallies in the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khomeini's martyrdom. Authorities had assured their families that they would be released soon. But unfortunately, this hasn't been the case. Urge @JmuKmrPolice to consider their release at the earliest," the PDP chief said.
Regional Conflict Escalates
Her remarks came after the Shia community in the region mourned the killing of Khamenei in the airstrikes launched by the US and Israel. This came amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28. Iran has also retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, further widening the conflict.
Mufti Protests and Criticizes Government
On Wednesday, Mufti also burned posters of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu while raising posters of Khamenei. She highlighted how his death prompted grief among people in India, referring to the protests by Shia Muslims and the Iranian community, and said the people are being "kept in jails".
Speaking to the media, she said, "As you know that last 5-6 days, Israel and the US are attacking Iran, in which the Supreme Leader was also killed. After that, there was grief and anger among the people, which they tried expressing. That resulted in thousands being kept behind jail, many including females."
Mufti further stated that she is unable to understand the stance of the government. "The leadership in Delhi has not condemned this attack nor condoled the people of Iran," she stated.
She later shared the protest on her X handle, stating, "I stand in peace with those who stand in peace with you, and in opposition to those who oppose you, until the Day of Judgment."
Succession Speculation
Meanwhile, Israeli media have reported that Ayatollah Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, has been chosen as the successor to his father and will take over as the Supreme Leader.
Senior Israeli officials told Ynet news that the Assembly is expected to formally announce Mojtaba Khamenei as successor in the coming hours.
However, no independent confirmation has come from the official Iranian state media on the development. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)