Authorities on Sunday placed several leaders, including PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, under house arrest to prevent them from joining the students' protest against the existing reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials said Mehbooba Mufti, her daughter Iltija Mufti, Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi, PDP leader Waheed Para, and former Srinagar mayor Junaid Mattoo have been placed under house arrest. The move came after these leaders expressed solidarity with students who planned to sit on a peaceful protest at Gupkar Road on Sunday and had announced their intention to join the agitation against the delay in rationalising the quota policy, a year after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah formed a committee to address the issue. Reacting to the development, Para said it was unfortunate that the leaders had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from showing solidarity with the protesting students. In a post on X, National Conference