40 years ago August 17, 1986: Art 249 extended to J&K
On August 17, 1986, India extended the operation of Article 249 to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a measure that was secretly enacted two weeks prior. This extension came about through a modification to the Presidential Order of 1954, which had initially granted special status to the state. Since the J&K state legislature was suspended, the amendment was approved by Governor Jagmohan.
Scattered riots took place in Pakistan, with reports of 12 people being wounded by police in Karachi during the third day of unrest. Protesters attacked government buildings, burned vehicles and clashed with authorities. Around 1,000 individuals were arrested in the Thatta district during these demonstrations. Additionally, a car-bomb explosion in the holy city of Qom, Iran, resulted in the deaths of eleven people and left approximately 100 injured.
The blast was allegedly carried out by "agents of the United States" in an attempt to "shed the blood of innocents." Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, the Godavari floodwaters inundated the village of Dowlaiswaram. The swollen river breached a section of the barrage, causing water to seep through a large fissure in the wall. This led to the inundation of the town, with around five thousand residents evacuating their homes as the floodwaters rose, submerging buildings up to five to six feet deep.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
