Srinagar: In a significant development, Peoples Conference
chairman Sajad Gani Lone was Friday released from one year-long
detention. Lone was released this morning after being kept in
detention for nearly 360 days.
“Finally five days short of a year I have been officially informed
that I am a free man. So much has changed. So have I. Jail was not a
new experience. Earlier ones were harsh with usual doses of physical
torture. But this was psychologically draining. Much to share
hopefully soon,” Lone tweeted .
Lone was put under detention on August 4 last year after he
participated in an all-party meeting held at former Chief Minister and
NC president Farooq Abdullah’s residence to chalk out strategy for
safeguarding J&K’s special status.
After being detained under the Criminal Procedure Code(CrPC), Lone
was lodged at SKICC and kept kept there until November, following
which he was shifted to MLA hostel.
On February 5, Lone was released from MLA hostel Srinagar and shifted
to government accommodation at Church Lane here.
Lone, who has massive public support in north Kashmir, was the first
prominent separatist politician to participate in electoral process in
the past three decades.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and National Conference
vice-President Omar Abdullah welcomed release of Lone. “Good to hear
that Sajad Lone has been released from illegal house arrest. I hope
others under similar illegal detention will also be released without
delay,” Omar tweeted. Peoples Democratic Party leader and former
Minister Naeem Akther also welcomed release of Lone “Mubarak! This was
a jail term in which the trial begins only after release. Great
pleasure to have remained together for a long time, enough to know
each other better and appreciate that no two Kashmiris have no reason
to fight each other. For there are no prizes to win,” he tweeted
