Ex-president of J&K HC Bar Association arrested under PSA

Srinagar, Jul 11 (PTI) Senior advocate and former president of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Nazir Ahmad Ronga was arrested in the early hours of Thursday from his Srinagar residence and booked under the Public Safety Act, officials said here.

Ronga was arrested from his residence in the Nishat area of the city and booked under the PSA, they said.

Ronga’s family took to social media and said he was arrested at 1.10 am. Ronga is the second ex-president of the lawyers’ body to be arrested.

“My father, Adv. N.A. Ronga, the Chairman of the J&K High Court Bar Association, has just been arrested in a deeply disturbing turn of events,” Umair Ronga, son of the senior lawyer, posted on X.

“At 1.10 am, a contingent of J&K Police arrived at our home without any arrest warrant, merely stating, ‘It’s an order from above’ (“uper se order hai”). We are left in a state of shock and profound distress. We can only hope this is not another instance of the PSA being misused to intimidate the members of the J&K High Court Bar Association,” Umair Ronga said.

He also posted two videos showing uniformed personnel taking away the former president of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association.

Mian Abdul Qayoom, also a former president of the bar association, was arrested last month in connection with murder of Advocate Babar Qadri by terrorists in 2020.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti slammed the arrest of Ronga.

“The cycle of violence continues unabated in J&K that too in areas which rarely witnessed militancy. Everyday soldiers are being martyred. GOI (Government of India) hasn’t only failed to end militancy but is venting its frustration by launching a vicious crackdown on helpless Kashmiris. Nazir Ronga is the latest victim of its oppressive actions,” she posted on X.