A high-profile delegation of civil society members led by Yashwant Sinha was prevented from visiting south Kashmir and Budgam districts, apparently on the grounds that militants might target them.
Sinha and the other members of the delegation were allowed to travel to Kashmir on Friday but had to confine their visit to parts of Srinagar city on Saturday.
The former Union minister said he and the others had planned to go to Pulwama in south Kashmir but received a communication from the SSP, security, on Friday evening.
“I received an advisory from the SSP, security, saying there was a terrorist threat (to their lives) if we visited Pulwama. We decided to go by the advisory of not going to Pulwama,” he said.
The police have been citing “militant threats” to prevent politicians from visiting places or stepping out of home.
The former BJP leader said they later decided to visit Budgam district in central Kashmir.
“But when we tried to move out of the hotel, they did not open the hotel gates and the cars were not allowed to proceed by security people. We had no choice but to return to the hotel,” he said.
The group met delegations at the hotel and visited some places in the city.