Former minister and senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Naeem Akhtar was hospitalised from a detention centre in Srinagar early Thursday after he fell unconscious for 40 minutes.
Akhtar, who served as the spokesperson for the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested on December 21st from his house few days before the counting of votes in the District Development Council (DDC) elections which were held for the first time in the Union Territory (UT). Daughter of Akhtar, Shehryar Khanum said his father was saved by a whisker. She said Akhtar was unconscious for 40 minutes before he was shifted to hospital. However, she thanked a senior police officer for informing her about shifting of Akhtar to hospital.
Taking to micro blogging site Twitter Khanum said, “At least a senior police officer had the courtesy to inform me around midnight that my father @shangpal in detention was in hospital after he was unconscious for 40 mins. Saved by a whisker – some days back all alone in the whole building. Grateful to his fellow detenues. Prayers!”.
Spokesman for the PDP Najum Saqib said Akhtar’s health deteriorated last night and was shifted to hospital. Akhtar continues to remain under Cardiac-ICU observation. In a Tweet Saqib said, “Three weeks now & yet Senior leaders Naeem Sb, Sartaj Sb & Mansoor sb continue to be under detention despite their age & on Un-explained charges. Naeem sb’s health deteriorated last night & was shifted to Hospital subsequently. He continues to remain under Cardiac-ICU observation”. Akhtar was among the hundreds of mainstream leaders arrested on August 5 last year when centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A , besides divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs)-Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh-.
However, he was among the last to be released after he refused to sign an undertaking that he will not raise the issue of state’s special status after his release.
