We have released 100 detainees after outbreak of COVID-19: Govt
Srinagar, Apr 13 : The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday revoked Public Safety Act (PSA) detention orders of 36 persons lodged in different jails, sources told wire service.
Highly placed sources disclosed that Home department of J&K Union Territory today revoked detention orders of 36 persons lodged in different jails. Details gathered from different jails and police revealed that detainees whose PSA was revoked today are lodged in Central jail Srinagar (16), Kot Bhalwal central jail Jammu (16), and one each in district jails of Kupwara, Anantnag, Bhaderwah and sub-jail Hira Nagar.
Under the Public Safety Act, the government is empowered to revoke detention orders passed by district magistrates.
According to sources, the government has also decided to revoke PSA detention orders of 30-40 prisoners lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir. “To begin with, the government would release 30-40 such detainees,” they said, adding that detention orders are being revoked on recommendations of Deputy Commissioners, district police chiefs and J&K police’s intelligence wing.
A senior police official told that process of revoking PSA detention orders of those lodged outside Union Territory was impeded due to nationwide lockdown announced by the Centre to control spread of COVID-19.
A senior official in the government disclosed that they have revoked PSA detention orders of more than 100 persons over the past one month.
Seven mainstream leaders are also in detention under the PSA which allows imprisonment without a trail for a period of 2 years.
After abrogation of Article 370 by BJP-led Central government on August 5, last year, 5000 persons were detained under different laws in J&K. Of them, 500-600 were held up under Public Safety Act.
Those arrested after August 5 last year included former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone and bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal –(KNO)
