5 political leaders, detained in Srinagar for past 4 months, released by J&K administration

File photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: At least five political leaders, who were detained for the past four months, have been released by Jammu and Kashmir administration. According to reports, the leaders were detained at an MLA hostel in Srinagar. Among those who have been released by the state administration are -- two former PDP legislators, two former National Conference legislators and one former Independent legislator.

The released leaders are PDP leaders Zahoor Mir and Bashir Ahmad Mir, National Conference leader Ghulam Nabi Bhat and former Independent legislator Yasir Reshi.

More than 30 leaders, including National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, PDP supremo Mehbooba Mufti have been in detention since August 4, 2019, a day before the central government abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two union territories. The Centre has not provided any definite date for their release, only letting on that they will be freed at an 'appropriate' time.

The release of the leaders is seen as Jammu and Kashmir administration's move to bring back normalcy in Kashmir. 

As per the sources, around 50 detained mainstream politicians will be released over the next few days.

The detained political leaders, who were earlier kept in the Centaur Lake View Hotel on the banks of Dal Lake, were moved to the MLA Hostel here last week.

Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was recently shifted from a guest house in Chashme Shahi to a government accommodation on M.A. Road, while another former CM Farooq Abdullah, continues to remain under detention at his own house since August 5, after Article 370 granting special status to J&K was abrogated by the Parliament. Farooq Abdullah`s son and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah continues to be in detention at the Hari Niwas state guest house here.