Omar Abdullah to be released from detention today

Mangalore Today News Network

Srinagar, Mar 24, 2020: The Jammu and Kashmir administration Tuesday revoked the Public Safety Act (PSA) order against former chief minister Omar Abdullah, paving way for his release.

Omar has been detained at his Hari Niwas residence at Gupkar Road in Srinagar since August 5, 2019. He was placed in preventive detention following the abrogation of Article 370. In February, the J&K administration invoked the stringent PSA against him for his ability to “convince his electorate to vote in huge numbers”, Indian Express.

 

Abdullah’s release comes weeks after his father, former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Farooq Abdullah was released from detention. The Srinagar MP had been under detention at his house on Gupkar Road in Srinagar since the August 5 decision.

Addressing the press after he was released, Farooq said, “Today I don’t have words. I am free today. Now, I will be able to go to Delhi and attend Parliament and speak for you all.

“This freedom will be complete when all leaders are released. I hope the government of India will take action to release everyone,” he added.

A day after his release, Farooq had visited Omar at Hari Niwas. This was their first meeting since they were detained. Farooq was accompanied by wife Molly and daughter Safia Abdullah Khan.

Other leaders, including former CM and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, are still in detention.