In a significant move, the authorities said on Monday that five detainees at Srinagar’s MLA hostel have been set free, reducing the total number of prisoners in Kashmir to less than three dozen.
According to reports, the J&K administration on Monday set free five political leaders from various parties who have been under detention since August 5, the day when the Centre announced abrogation of Article 370 provisions and bifurcation of the state.
Reports said the five leaders released belonged to the National Conference and the PDP, who had been under preventive detention, officials said.
Officials said the leaders included Ishfaq Jabbar and Ghulam Nabi Bhat (NC) and Bashir Mir, Zahoor Mir and Yasir Reshi (PDP). Reshi is considered as a rebel PDP leader who had openly revolted against then chief minister and PDP patron Mehbooba Mufti.
On November 25, two political leaders -- Dilawar Mir of the PDP and Ghulam Hassan Mir of the Democratic Party Nationalist -- were released by the new Union Territory administration.
Jammu and Kashmir had been under a lockdown ever since the Centre stripped the state of its special status in August this year and announced plans for bifurcation of the state into two union territories.
The administration has lifted restrictions on the movement of people and telecommunication services gradually, but internet services still remain suspended in Kashmir valley.
The government has often justified its decision saying the internet was being used by anti-social elements to spread rumours and create a ruckus in the state.
Three former chief ministers -- NC's Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and PDP's Mehbooba Mufti -- are still under detention along with a number of former ministers, their relatives and workers of various political parties.