J&K: Senior advocate Nazir Ronga arrested under Public Safety Act; third arrest in 2 weeks

Nazir Ronga, who is the current chairman of the J&K High Court Bar Association has been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows authorities to detain a person without trial for a year. His family is upset with this “deeply disturbing turn of events”.

Deep shock

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

Further, he added, 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," Ronga added.

Third arrest in two weeks

This is the third arrest by J&K police in two weeks. 

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

At midnight on Sunday, advocate Mian Muzaffar, Mian Qayoom's nephew, too was arrested by the police from his home in Srinagar and subsequently booked under Public Safety Act. 

Public Safety Act

Meanwhile, Nazir Ronga’s family said his arrest has been captured on CCTV footage.

The family claims that Ronga has been detained under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act but there is no statement by the police so far.

In 2023, he was one of the several leaders detained under the J&K Public Safety Act just before Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated. This was done to prevent protests against the move.

Mufti slams arrest

Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, meanwhile, slammed Nazir Ronga’s sudden arrest.

"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 wrote on X.