PP NEWS LINE DESK : The detention of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Mehraj Malik under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) has not only triggered protests across Doda but also left his father, Shamas Udin Malik, devastated. Fighting back tears, he pleaded with authorities for his son’s release, saying he can no longer endure endless legal battles.
“I can’t keep fighting in courts. I just want my son back,” Shamas Udin said, calling Malik’s arrest a result of “personal vendetta” by the district administration. “The Deputy Commissioner made it personal. He should be suspended and my son released.”
Malik, a vocal critic of the government, was arrested on Monday and shifted to Kathua jail for allegedly disturbing public peace. His father insists the case was blown out of proportion after a confrontation with the DC over public grievances. “When an old woman cried in front of him, Malik got angry. They argued, but some people incited the administration to take harsh action,” he explained.
Rejecting allegations that his son had hurt Sikh sentiments, Shamas Udin defended Malik’s record. “My son was brought up among Sikhs, studied with them, and worked alongside them. Our neighbours are Sikhs. It is wrong to pin such a blame on him,” he said firmly.
The father said he had even approached senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh for help but stressed his priority was not politics. “I don’t care about the party. I only want my son back,” he said.
Meanwhile, protests have gripped Doda with more than 70 people detained after violent clashes between demonstrators and security personnel left eight policemen, including a DSP and an SHO, injured. Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in the district.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Shamas Udin’s appeal has struck an emotional chord. His words—“I just want my son back”—now echo the growing unrest over what many see as the misuse of the PSA against an elected representative.
