Srinagar
Political leaders in Kashmir, who have been under house arrest for more than 50 days, will be released, but in a phased manner, an advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Governor has said. The leaders from Jammu — also under house arrest as part of the lockdown in the state — were released yesterday.
The decision was taken days after the government announced election for the Block Development Council, the second tier of the Panchayat Raj system in the state.
Asked if the Kashmiri leaders will also be released from detention, Farooq Khan, advisor to Governor Satya Pal Malik, said, “Yes, one by one after analysis of every individual, they will be released,” reported news agency ANI.
Around 400 political leaders of the state — including former Chief Ministers 83-year-old Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti — were placed under house arrest as the government announce its move to end special status granted to the state under the Article 370 and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.
