Overview

• Mehraj Malik, 37, was detained on 8 September at Doda’s Dak Bungalow and later moved to Kathua district jail under an order by Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh.
• It is the first instance of a sitting legislator in Jammu and Kashmir being held under the PSA, which allows detention without charge or trial for up to two years.
• Officials cite a dossier and multiple complaints, with police saying Malik has 18 cases since 2014 and poses a grave threat to public order.
• Opposition figures including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and AAP leaders condemned the detention, while the BJP backed the move as lawful.
• Government employees in Doda staged a pen-down strike supporting the deputy commissioner, and the Assembly Secretariat said it merely notified members under Rule 260 and did not endorse the PSA order.