Her sojourn was cut short by police who took them to police station, and asked them to return home. But Mehbooba declined to return demanding a free passage to Shopian. She called for Shopain March the next day, and even managed to reach Shopian, where she was greeted by some hostile crowds. She also had a face off at the Police Station Shopian where she wanted to file an FIR for rape and murder. She had a tough time earlier as people asked her to resign from the legislature before offering condolence to the family.
Her moves did not find takers in the separatist camp, who accused her of shedding crocodile tears and trying to take political advantages from the tragedy.
PDP Vice President, Iftikhar Ansari’s reported arrest along with Mehbooba stirred protests in some Shia pockets of Srinagar. Police later said that Ansari had joined the PDP president and legislators in the police station fifteen minutes after their arrival at police station.
For Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the incident came as a major challenge to his reputation. He called a press conference announcing a judicial probe in the matter, but marred the political gesture by dumping the possibility of rape and murder. He took a dig at media accusing them of politicizing the situation and gave some lessons on journalism. He also accused people of pouring onto streets on mere or no provocations. Two days after his news conference, he addressed media briefly again. This time he had diluted his stance to say that something has happened.
While Mehbooba’s moves did not bother the administration much, they were bogged down by the hardline separatist Syed Ali Geelani, who first extended his one day strike call to two more days.
Omar tried to counter Geelani’s call by invoking losses to tourism and difficulties to poor, but for the next two days people heeded Geelani’s call, complicating matters for the state.
To prevent the situation from escalating, the government in a preemptive measure rounded up Geelani on Wednesday minutes before he was to address media at his cordoned residence. Geelani managed to talk to media over phone and called for an indefinite strike “till demilitarization starts” panicking the administration that was caught unawares.
Geelani’s associates later reduced the shutdown to two days. Geelani was released in the evening. Two days after, his residence was again sealed to prevent media from reaching to him. And Geelani again managed to send his word across – extend the strike for two more days.
For Democratic Freedom Party supremo, Shabir Shah, who was released just a week ago from jail, the Shopian incident paved his return to the lock up. He came out trying to march towards Shopian, but was put back in jail.
Other separatists, like Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar issued routine statements from their cordoned residences. Malik was arrested on Friday when he came out of his house to join a demonstration.
In between, Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar announced that truth about the case would be out in 48 hours. Before his deadline would expire, he flanked a chief minister announcing a month long judicial commission into the incident.
