J&K Leaders Saifuddin Soz, Sajad Lone Released 5 Days Short Of A Year Since Abrogation Of Article 370

The central government in 2019 ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory.

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J&K: People's Conference leader Sajjad Gani Lone and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz were freed from detention on Thursday, after almost a year since the duo along with many other politicians were put under house arrest post the Central government scrapped the special status for Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and imposed a security lockdown in the state. According to several reports, nearly 400 political leaders were either detained or placed under house arrest after they protested against the central government's decision of ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and Ladakh Union Territory. Over 250 petitions were filed against the preventive detention orders against prominent political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Political leaders including former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were also not allowed to move out of their houses as strict restrictions were imposed in the Kashmir Valley. Initially, Lone was sent at a detention center for the first six months starting from August and then put under house arrest for another six months starting from February this year. After being freed just five days short a year, Lone took to his official Twitter account saying, "Finally 5 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."

As stated in the reports, Saifuddin Soz, on the other hand, threatened to sue the government for his "unlawful house arrest since August 5, 2019, and for compensation for the incarceration and illegal suspension of civil liberties to which I am entitled under the Constitution" A News18 report quoted Soz as saying that the UT as well as the central government took a position before the Supreme Court that he was a "free man but what the top court had been told was a "blatant lie". Soz further added saying that he would move against his detention for "whatever it is worth".