Detained Kashmiri leaders lack facilities, say relatives

Family members of detained Kashmiri leaders have complained about lack of facilities at the MLA hostel here which has been designated as a sub-jail.

Relatives of the detained leaders made a beeline at the highly guarded hostel on the MA road in Srinagar to meet their kin since morning on Wednesday.

Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, father of Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran, came to meet his son for the first time at the MLA hostel. He said the detained politic are getting a bad deal.

"My son is being tortured, there are no heating arrangements, the food is not good, rooms are not good," Sheikh Mushtaq said adding that he wants his son released.

Questioning detentions, others who came to meet their kin, alleged that there were hassles in getting in the materials they had brought for their detained relatives.

"Why haven't the detained leaders been kept under house arrest," Sakib Madni, the son of PDP leader Sartaj Madni said. "We are being harassed unnecessarily; the rooms in MLA hostel are not furnished," he added.

Thirty five mainstream Kashmiri leaders detained since August 5 following the abrogation of Article 370 were moved from the Centaur hotel along the banks of the Dal Lake to the MLA hostel on Sunday.

Government sources said the move was necessitated due to cold weather in Kashmir and an exorbitant bill of Rs 3 crore generated in three months for the detained leaders at the Centaur hotel.

( With inputs from IANS )