J-K: In Fortnight Gap, Government Releases Five More Political Leaders From Detention

The five political leaders, who were released from detention, include Salman Sagar (NC), Nizamuddin Bhat (PDP),  Showkat Ganai (NC), Altaf Kalloo (NC) and Muktiar Baba (PDP).

New Delhi: A fortnight after releasing five political leaders from detention, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday released five more politicians from their detention. These leaders were detained after the central government on August 5 revoked Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Of the total five leaders, three belonged to the NC and two belonged to the PDP. The five political leaders, who were released from detention, include Salman Sagar (NC), Nizamuddin Bhat (PDP),  Showkat Ganai (NC), Altaf Kalloo (NC) and Muktiar Baba (PDP).

Prior to this, the J-K administration had on December 30 last year released five leaders who were detained.

Of the five leaders who were released on December 30 from the MLA hostel, while two were from the Abdullahs’ National Conference (NC), the remaining were from Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They include Ishfaq Jabbar and Ghulam Nabi Bhatt (NC) and Yasir Reshi, Bashir Ahmad Mir and Zahoor Mir (PDP).

In the wake of the abrogation of Article 370, a host of prominent politicians, including three former Chief Ministers-Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were put under detention.

In another development, the J-K Administration on January 15 shifted Omar Abdullah to the government bungalow M-4 on Gupkar Road. He was likely to be shifted to the new location on Thursday, but no confirmation on his shifting has yet been received.

The National Conference leader was under detention in Hari Nivas after the Centre abrogated Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He was in this place since August 5 last year.

However, the administration has not given any timeline for the release of the three former Chief Ministers. The Centre has said that the trio will be released at an ‘appropriate’ time. Of the three, Farooq Abdullah has been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).