Doda, September 6 — A controversy has erupted in Doda district after Aam Aadmi Party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president and sitting MLA, Mehraj Malik, shifted a local health centre from a damaged building to another premises in Kencha village, a move that has now led to the registration of an FIR against him and five others.
The incident, which was live-streamed by the legislator on his Facebook page on September 5, saw the Health Centre at Kencha, under Thathri block, being moved to a private building in the presence of health staff. Soon after, a local Congress activist objected, contending that an administrative committee had already decided to relocate the facility to another sanctioned site. Heated arguments broke out between the MLA and the activist, prompting the intervention of the local Tehsildar, police officials, and other authorities to prevent the situation from escalating into a law-and-order problem.
Mr. Malik, known for his combative tone, accused the administration of siding with the Congress and alleged that police and magistrates had been deployed to “silence him”. In an outburst against Deputy Commissioner Doda Harvinder Singh, the MLA used harsh language and alleged corruption and favouritism in the handling of the matter. A video of his remarks has since gone viral, drawing over two million views.
Meanwhile, official sources confirmed to The Chenab Times that on Saturday, the Block Medical Officer (BMO) lodged a written complaint at Gandoh Police Station. The complaint accused Mr. Malik and five men — identified as residents of Kencha and Malanoo villages — of forcibly trespassing into the Health Centre premises, threatening officials, and removing government property, including medical equipment and official records. The items were allegedly shifted to the residence of one of the accused, where they were kept under lock and key.
On the basis of the complaint, FIR No. 90/2025 was registered at Police Station Gandoh under Sections 221, 329(3), 351(2), and 305(e) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation has been entrusted to the SHO of the station.
Mr. Malik, who represents Doda and heads the AAP’s state unit, has maintained that the relocation of the Health Centre was supported by public resolutions in favour of the local building where the facility now stands.
The episode has deepened political fissures in the region, with the AAP legislator positioning the move as a matter of public will, while the administration frames it as a breach of law and procedure.
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Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
