Indian authorities on Friday released an influential Kashmiri lawmaker who had been held for seven months after New Delhi stripped India-held Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomy and detained thousands of politicians and activists.
Farooq Abdullah, 82, had been confined to his residence in Srinagar since August 5 when the Indian government split the state and put it under direct New Delhi rule.
An official order said the government was revoking Abdullah’s detention “with immediate effect”, without giving a reason.
Later, the parliamentarian and former state chief minister addressed supporters and thanked those “who fought for my freedom”.
Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and several other top Kashmiri politicians were among thousands taken into custody following the clampdown in occupied Kashmir, where an armed rebellion against Indian rule has raged for decades.
The Abdullahs and other politicians were detained under the stringent Public Safety Act, which has been condemned by rights groups because suspects can be held for up to two years without appearing in court.
