Situation not normal in Kashmir: Sinha

SRINAGAR : A five-member civil society delegation led by former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Monday wrapped up its fourday visit to Kashmir terming it as very successful, but asserted that the situation in the Valley after the abrogation of Article 370 was not normal.

The delegation also termed the curbs by the police on their movement in different parts of the Valley as a “deliberate ploy” by the government to hide the ground reality.

It warned that the situation will deteriorate if the Centre does not change its behaviour pertaining to Kashmir.

“After talking to various groups of people and individuals, I have come to the conclusion at the end of our visit that the situation is not at all normal.” Sinha told PTI.

Asserting that the Centre’s decision of stripping J&K of its special status and bifurcating it into two Union territories has caused a “huge psychological problem”, Sinha said, “There is a prevailing atmosphere of fear here,” he said.

He added, however, that the visit was still very successful.

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An atmosphere of fear prevails here. Even those who came to see us in the hotel were harassed by security forces. YASHWANT SINHA , former minister

2 RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST

SRINAGAR:The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday announced release of two political leaders, who have been under detention since August 5, besides shifting of two others to their houses from the MLA hostel. Dilawar Mir, who is from PDP, and Ghulam Hassan Mir, were under detention for over 110 days and were released by the new UT administration. They are former MLAs, both of Baramulla district.