All 34 detained leaders shifted to MLA Hostel in Srinagar
SRINAGAR: All 34 detained politicians in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 have been shifted to a new location because of the harsh winter.
As Srinagar reeled under harsh winter conditions, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday shifted all political prisoners to the MLA Hostel as the facility lacked proper heating arrangements, officials said.
The winter chill took a toll on the health of the detenues – National Conference, PDP, and People’s Conference leaders and prominent social activists – and the security personnel guarding them.
The administration carried out the required modification of rooms in the MLA Hostel on Maulana Azad Road in the heart of the city to accommodate the political prisoners. It has been declared as a subsidiary jail by an order of the J-K home department.
Among the political prisoners are Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference (PC), Ali Mohammad Sagar of National Conference (NC), Naeem Akhtar of the PDP and former IAS officer Shah Faesal.
SRINAGAR: As Srinagar reeled under harsh winter conditions, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday shifted all 34 political prisoners, lodged at Centaur Hotel since August 5, to the MLA Hostel as the facility lacked proper heating arrangements, officials said.
The winter chill took a toll on the health of the detenues -- National Conference, PDP and People's Conference leaders and prominent social activists -- and the security personnel guarding them. They were lodged at the hotel on the bank of the scenic Dal Lake on August 5 when the central government announced its decision to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and split the state into two Union territories. Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar City, was reeling under winter chill
Political detainees of different parties being shifted to MLA hostel from Centaur hotel, in Srinagar, Sunday and witnessed the season's first political prisoners are Sajjad snowfall earlier this month. Lone of People's Conference
The seat of administration (PC), Ali Mohammad Sagar in the newly created Union of National Conference (NC), territory has moved from Srinagar Naem Akhtar of the PDP and to Jammu for the winter former IAS officer Shah Faesal. months. The administration Former Jammu and Kashmir carried out required modification chief minister Mehbooba of rooms in the MLA Hostel Mufti was on Friday shifted to on Maulana Azad Road in a government accommodathe heart of the city to accommodate tion in the city from a tourist the political prisoners. hut located at the foothills of It has been declared as a subsidiary Zaberwan range, officials said jail by an order of the J-K here. The move was necessihome department. Among the tated as the approaching winters and frequent power cuts made it difficult to stay in the hut which was converted into a jail after she was detained on August 5 this year.
According to the officials privy to the development, Centaur Hotel, owned by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), has submitted a bill of nearly Rs 3 crore to the home department for over 100 days of boarding and
lodging of the detenues. Meanwhile, PDP chief's daughter Iltija Mufti claimed that leaders like Sajad Lone, Waheed Para, and Shah Faesal were “roughed up” during the transfer, a charge denied by J&K Police. “Apropos some twitter handle claiming manhandling of some people at MLA hostel Srinagar, it is hereby clarified that no such incident has taken place. Mandatory security drills were followed as required for lodgement,” senior J&K police officer Imtiyaz Hussain tweeted.