Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh was placed under house arrest on Thursday when he arrived in Srinagar to hold a press conference against the arrest of party MLA Mehraj Malik. Police restricted him inside the government guest house and prevented him from addressing the media. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah came to meet Singh at the guest house, but was denied entry by the police. The two leaders managed to briefly interact at the gate.

Mehraj Malik, who serves as AAP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit chief and represents the Doda constituency, was arrested on September 8 under the Public Security Act (PSA) and lodged in Kathua district jail. Since his arrest, continuous protests have been taking place in Doda, Bhaderwah, and Gandoh, prompting heavy security deployment. To maintain order, the administration invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). On September 9 and 10, clashes broke out in Bhatiyas between police and demonstrators, leading to the detention of more than 80 people.

Calling the move an attack on democratic rights, Sanjay Singh said, “Dictatorship is at its peak.” He alleged that Malik’s arrest was politically motivated, claiming it was done to suppress his efforts in raising public issues in his constituency. Meanwhile, debates continue on social media over Malik’s detention and the tense situation in Doda, while authorities maintain that the situation is under control despite ongoing protests and unrest in the region.