Mehbooba Mufti, another former Chief Minister detained on the same day, August 5, tweeted: “Glad he has been be released. For all their talk of nari Shakti & women emancipation, seems like this regime fears women the most.”

The Supreme Court had last week, on Omar Abdullah’s sister’s petition for his immediate release, asked the centre to respond by this week whether it planned to free him.

“If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits,” the Supreme Court told the government.

“Now that things are settled in Kashmir, what are your instructions for his (Omar Abdullah’s) release,” the judges asked.

On March 13, Omar Abdullah’s father Farooq Abdullah, also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, was freed.

Omar Abdullah was detained without charges but later, the government charged him the Public Safety Act (PSA). The charges listed out in a dossier against the 49-year-old National Conference leader included his “ability to garner votes even during peak militancy and poll boycotts”. It said Mr Abdullah, a former Union Minister, could influence people for any cause and specifically cited his ability to bring voters out in the wake of boycott calls by separatists.

Mr Abdullah’s sister Sara Abdullah Pilot, in her petition to the Supreme Court, said her brother had been detained on the basis of social media posts “that are non-existent have been wrongly, maliciously attributed to (Omar Abdullah)”.

Mr Abdullah has been seen during his detention with a beard. He had resolved not to shave until he was released as a mark of protest.

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The decision was taken days after the government announced election for the Block Development Council, the second tier of the Panchayat Raj system in the state soon.

Asked if the Kashmiri leaders will also be released from detention, Farooq Khan, advisor to Governor Satya  Pal Malik, said, “Yes, one by one after analysis of every person, they will be released,” 

Around 400 political leaders of the state — including former Chief Ministers 83-year-old Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti — were placed under detention or house arrest as the government announce its move to end special status granted to the state under the Article 370 .

It was part of the stringent security measures – that included prohibitory orders and switching of phone and internet facilities — to prevent any backlash of govt steps.

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Fresh restrictions have been imposed in areas around Hazratbal, while the curbs continued in five police station areas of downtown interior areas of the city, the officials said.

They said the restrictions under Section 144 CrPc have been imposed to support law and order.

The authorities have imposed restrictions in vulnerable areas of the valley every Friday, apprehending that vested interests might exploit the large gatherings at big mosques and shrines to fuel protests.

Friday prayers have not been allowed at any of the major mosques or shrines including Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta or Dargah Sharief in Hazratbal – in the valley for the past over a month now.

The restrictions were first imposed across Kashmir on 5 August when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate the state into two Union territories. The restrictions were lifted in phases from many parts of the valley as the situation improved with the passage of time.

While landline across the valley were functional, voice calls on mobile devices were working only in Kupwara and Handwara police districts of north Kashmir.

The efforts of the state government to open schools have not borne any fruit as parents continued to keep children at home due to apprehensions about their safety.

Most of the top-level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into custody while mainstream leaders including three former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have also been either detained or placed under house arrest.

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