Sitaram Yechury, D Raja detained at Srinagar airport

New Delhi: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yecury on Friday said he and his CPI colleague D Raja were detained at the Srinagar airport on Friday and denied entry into the city.

The Left leaders had gone to the Srinagar to meet their party colleagues.

“They showed us a legal order which did not allow any entry into Srinagar. It stated that even escorted movement int the city was not permitted due to security reasons. We are still trying to negotiate with them,” Yechury told PTI over the phone.

Yechury and CPI general secretary Raja had written to Satya Pal Malik on Thursday informing him of their visit and requesting him to facilitate their entry.

“Both of us had written to the J&K governor requesting him that there should be no hurdles for our visit… despite that we have been detained. I wanted to meet my ailing colleague and our comrades who are here,” said Yechury.

On Thursday, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was detained and sent back to Delhi from the Srinagar airport.