Government on Monday revoked Public Safety Act (PSA) detention orders of 36 persons lodged in different jails of Jammu and Kashmir and released 16 of them. The Home Department revoked detention orders of 36 persons lodged in different jails of Jammu and Kashmir. They were lodged in different jails including Central jail Srinagar, Kot Bhalwal Central Jail Jammu and jails of Kupwara, Anantnag, Bhaderwah and sub-jail Hiranagar. The PSA revocation of over 30 people lodged in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir is in pipeline. They are mostly lodged in Agra and Ambedkar Nagar jails in Uttar Pradesh. Those whose PSA was revoked and were released today are from Srinagar, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara and Budgam districts. The others will be released on Tuesday. The PSA of all these detainees was about to expire and Government decided not to invoke fresh PSA against them. Most of these people whose PSA was quashed today have cases registered against them in stone pelting. They were rounded up by police ahead of abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution last year in August and then booked under PSA. Last week Government revoked PSA against 20 persons and they were later released. Earlier last month 14 persons who were lodged in Central Jail Srinagar were released after Government revoked their PSA detention order. Earlier in January 10 this year, the PSA of 26 people was revoked and they were later released from different jails including 10 from Central Jail Srinagar. Last month authorities revoked the PSA of former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on March 13 and his son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on March 24. Both these leaders were released from the custody. However, there are presently over 300 people who are under detention in different jails under PSA. They include Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom and Traders president Yaseen Khan. Besides them, several political leaders including former Chief Minister and president of People’s Democratic Party leader, Mehbooba Mufti, PDP leaders Naeem Akhtar, Sartaj Madni, Peer Mansoor, NC leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar, Hial Lone and former IAS officer and head of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement, Dr Shah Faisal are booked under PSA.
