Srinagar: J&K Home Department Tuesday revoked the detention orders of five persons who were consequently released from Central Jail Srinagar and Kotbalwal Jail Jammu.
“We have revoked the PSA (detention orders) of five more persons and ordered their release,” Home Department officials told Greater Kashmir. “Three of them were lodged in the Central Jail Srinagar and two in Kotbalwal Jail Jammu.”
Among the released included one Imtiyaz Ahmad Gujree, a resident of Rainawari here, who was arrested on 28 August 2019 and was booked under PSA.
In the past over a week, 35 persons (including five freed today), were released after their detention orders under Public Safety Act were revoked by the authorities. The officials said more release of persons is on cards.
The step has been taken to decongest jails in J&K in the wake of deadly COVID-19 outbreak. The government is preparing a list of detainees including undertrials and convicts for their release likely to begun from Friday.
The officials informed that there were 113 PSA detainees in Srinagar Central Jail. “With the release of three on Tuesday, 110 are still detained there,” they said.
As reported by Greater Kashmir, on the directions of the Supreme Court, a high-powered committee has been formed in J&K to examine the cases of detainees.
According to sources the scrutiny of cases has already begun and recommendations for release are underway.
Pertinently, the cases of undertrials are being scrutinised by the judges while as the cases of convicts are being vetted by the Director General of Police, Prisons J&K.