Authorities released PDP leader and former MLA Shopian Mohammad Yousuf, National Conference leaders Abdul Majid Larmi, Ghulam Nabi Bhat and Muhammad Shafi

Four mainstream political leaders were released from MLA hostel sub-jail here and few more are likely to be released soon.
Authorities today released PDP leader and former MLA Shopian Mohammad Yousuf, National Conference leaders Abdul Majid Larmi, Ghulam Nabi Bhat and Muhammad Shafi.

The relatives of these leaders were informed by the Jail authorities about their release after which they were handed over to them.

These leaders were detained ahead of August 5 when the special status of J&K was scrapped. Sources said that few more mainstream politicians detained at MLA hostel will be released soon. Sixteen political leaders are still under detention in MLAs hostel.

Last month five politicians including PDP leader, Nizamudin Bhat, Showket Ganie of NC, Altaf Ahmed Kaloo of NC, Salman Sagar of NC and Mukhtar Bandh, son of former PDP leader Muhammad Khalil Bandh were released from MLA hostel sub-jail.

Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and Mohammad Ashraf Mir were released early in December. This was followed by the release of former Deputy Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Sheikh Imran, but his custody was given to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), who formally arrested him for questioning in Jammu and Kashmir Bank related case.

On December 30, senior PDP leader and former Minister Zahoor Ahmad Mir, former legislator Yasir Reshi and PDP leader Bashir Ahmad Mir, National Conference leader and former MLA Ganderbal Ishfaq Jabbar and NC leader Dr Ghulam Nabi Bhat were released from Sub-Jail.

Government early this month released four mainstream leaders from house arrest. They were Rafi Ahmad Mir, Abdul Majeed Paddar, Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and former PDP legislator Mohammad Ashraf Mir
Twenty-eight people booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) have been released so far since August 5 when around 450 people were booked under the Act.

Last month, administration revoked PSA against 26 persons including former Kashmir Bar Association president, Nazir Ahmad Ronga.

Government also revoked the PSA of Mubeen Shah and released him last month on health grounds from Agra jail after the Supreme Court intervention.

A cancer patient Parvaiz Ahmad Pala of Kulgam was also released early this month after the High Court quashed his detention under PSA and directed the Government to release him.

One of the detainees, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of Jamat-e-Islami died in UP jail last month.

Courtesy: Daily Excelsior