As the administration denied him entry into the Union Territory, Shiromani Akali Dal (A) chief Simranjit Singh Mann started an indefinite protest at Lakhanpur-the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir.
Simranjit Singh Mann tried to enter Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening but his cavalcade was not allowed to enter the Union Territory by the Kathua administration.
Mann, a Member of Parliament from Sangrur in Punjab, was stopped on the orders of Kathua District Magistrate Rahul Pandey, leading to protests by the politician and his supporters since Monday evening.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rahul Yadav and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua R C Kotwal met agitating Akali Dal leader and requested him to return but the Lok Sabha member is adamant to visit Jammu and Kashmir.
"Party members and I have entered J&K. Police with orders from the Government of India have stopped my entry into Kashmir without assigning any reason. I have a constitutional right to be represented by a lawyer, which is not allowed. Union Home Minister Mr. Shah says there is complete peace in J&K", Mann tweeted after being disallowed to proceed further.
"Thus I see no reason to prevent the entry of a peaceful delegation, visiting and enquiring upon the people of J&K", he said.
Mann, supporters staging dharna on the third successive day at Lakhanpur
On the third successive day, Simranjit Singh Mann along with his supporters staged a dharna at the Lakhanpur corridor. Mann spent a second night in his vehicle on the road at Lakhanpur, a SAD(A) spokesperson said.
Supporters from Jammu, Kathua, and Punjab continued to throng the protest site and raised slogans against the BJP and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
"I put in a petition challenging the order of District Magistrate, Kathua ordering me to leave Jammu & Kashmir with immediate effect on 17th. Hoping the sessions judge will announce his verdict against illegally preventing my tour into J&K tomorrow when the court rises", Mann tweeted.
Fearing disturbance section 144 imposed in Lakhanpur
As Simranjit Singh Mann is a known Khalistani leader, the administration of the Kathua district imposed section 144 to deny his entry into Jammu and Kashmir.
Rahul Pandey, in his order issued under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), had said Mann's was scheduled entry into Jammu and Kashmir was likely to cause disturbance in public tranquility.
"Therefore, I, in the exercise of the powers vested in me under Section 144 CrPC do hereby prohibit Mann from entering the jurisdiction of Kathua," Pandey stated earlier.
The administration has beefed up security at Lakhanpur and additional deployments have been made as a precautionary measure to enforce the prohibitory orders and maintain law and order.
