SRINAGAR: Democracy is being “ripped apart” in Kashmir, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti alleged on Friday.

In a post on X, Mehbooba said, “Shoukat Pandit – Engineer Rashid’s main campaigner has been picked up by @JmuKmrPolice & detained at Chugal police station. This has been done on the behest of those who want to prevent him from campaigning & thus help their proxy candidate instead. Democracy is being ripped apart in Kashmir.”

However, there was no word from the police on the allegations of Mehbooba — a former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Former MLA from north Kashmir’s Langate assembly segment, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, who is in jail on terror funding charges is contesting the parliamentary polls from Baramulla seat in the north.

People’s Conference president Sajad Lone and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah are also trying their luck from the seat. -(PTI)