india

Updated: Feb 05, 2020 16:24 IST

After six months of detention, two prominent mainstream leaders including chairman, Peoples Conference, were released from custody.

PC chairman Sajjad Lone and PDP youth president, Waheed-ur- Rehman Parra were released on Wednesday afternoon from the MLA hostel. After their release, both headed home, where they were received by waiting relatives who had received prior information of their release.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Shaid Iqbal Choudhary confirmed the developments. “Yes, they were released,’’ he said.

Sajjad Lone was a minister in the PDP- BJP coalition government-- under the BJP quota-- in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir; however, once he opposed the revocation of Article 370, he was also held along with some other senior PC leaders.

Parra who hails from South Kashmir is the youth leader of the PDP known for his organising capabilities. He was also the secretary of the Sports Council and had organized a big program in Srinagar for then home minister, Rajnath Singh.

Parra said that he saw the roads of the city after six months. “Last time when I spoke, I was detained for six months,’’ he added.

Currently, there are around 13 mainstream leaders lodged in the MLA hostel and it is likely that some of them will be released in the next few days.

Former assembly member Wachi Aijaz Ahmad Mir and former president of Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Shakeel Ahmed Qalandar, were released from detention on Tuesday, while four others, including three former legislators were released on Sunday. All were under detention in Srinagar.

A total of 13 leaders were released from detention last month in January, while five leaders had been released the previous month on December 30.

IAS officer turned politician Shah Faesel and NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar are among the prominent leaders still in detention at the MLA hostel in Srinagar. The preventive detention provisions under which the leaders were jailed would normally expire after the completion of six months.

Three former chief ministers of the erstwhile state of J&K—NC chairman Farooq Abdullah at his Gupkar House, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti at a government house at M.A Road and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah at Hari Niwas —are still under detention including several others lodged either at their homes or at the Srinagar Central Prison.

Last month, a group of former ministers and legislators had met Lt Governor, G C Murmu and the group of 16 foreign envoys. In both the meetings, these leaders led by former PDP minister, Altaf Bukhari had advocated for the release of three former CMs and other mainstream leaders from their detention.