Cops release 13 detained women

SRINAGAR: Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s sister and daughter were on Tuesday released along with 11 other women a day after they were detained for protesting against the effective abrogation of Constitution’s Article 370 that gave Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) a special status.

Surya Abdullah and Safiya Abdullah were among a group of academics and social activists, who took to the streets in Srinagar on Tuesday. They held placards against the detention of political leaders and “seizure of fundamental rights” in J&K.

Safiya Abdullah refused to comment as she stepped out of Srinagar’s Central jail. She showed her wrist with the stamp of the jail authorities.

Farooq Abdullah and his son, Omar Abdullah, are among three former chief ministers, who were detained ahead of the Centre’s move to withdraw J&K’S special status in August and to split the state into two Union territories. A lockdown and communication blackout was also imposed in the region. Most of the restrictions have since been eased.

Hawa Bashir, 71, a retired college teacher who was also detained on Tuesday, said that all that they had to say, they have said it. Her sister Ruqaya, 81, said that they were successful in making their point.

Altaf Khan, their lawyer, said that the 13 were released after signing a bond prohibiting them from making a statement. “The bond is illegal because it contradicts the constitution,” said Khan.

The J&K police on Tuesday said that the women were detained for violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code that prohibits the assembly of four or more people.