Mufti's continued detention during COVID-19 lockdown cruel: Omar

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday called former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s continued detention “callous and cruel” and hoped she will be released along with other detainees.

He reiterated the demand for the release of political detainees a day after he was released from detention after eight months on Tuesday.

“It’s callous & cruel to continue to detain @MehboobaMufti [Mehbooba Mufti] & others at a time like this.There was never much justification to detain everyone in the 1st place & none at all to keep them detained as the country enters a 3 week lockdown,’’ he tweeted, referring to the countrywide lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus pandemic from Wednesday. He hoped the Centre will release them.

Three former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mufti were among hundreds of people detained to prevent protests against the nullification of Constitution's Article 370 that stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its special status in August.

Farooq Abdullah was released on March 13 while Mufti remains under detention.

There was speculation throughout the day on Wednesday that Mufti was going to be released.