Additional 100 paramilitary forces' companies airlifted to J-K ahead of SC hearing on Article 35A

The Centre has romped in nearly hundred additional companies of paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir's capital Srinagar amid a major crackdown on separatists in Jammu and Kashmir late on Friday, which also resulted in the arrest of separatist leader Yasin Malik.

Central Reserve Police Force (Source: PTI)

Srinagar: The Centre has romped in nearly hundred additional companies of paramilitary forces to Jammu and Kashmir's capital Srinagar amid a major crackdown on separatists in Jammu and Kashmir late on Friday, which also resulted in the arrest of separatist leader Yasin Malik. Following a notice by the Home Ministry, 100 additional companies of paramilitary soldiers were airlifted to Srinagar, where their deployment plan for the next few days was being worked upon. The detentions came ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on Article 35A, expected to be taken up on Monday. The article, incorporated into the Indian Constitution in 1954, grants special rights and privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. Malik was detained from his residence in central Srinagar late Friday evening. The Jammu and Kashmir Police confirmed that Malik has been kept under detention at the Kothi Bath police station. This was followed by dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami separatists, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz being arrested during overnight raids across the Valley. Law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir has been tense post the cowardly Pulwama terror attack on February 14, which accounted for the lives of more than 40 CRPF jawans.