India frees top Kashmir politician after months of detention

Farooq Abdullah was under detention since August when New Delhi stripped Occupied Kashmir of its autonomy

Indian authorities on Friday ordered the release of Occupied Kashmir's one of the most prominent politicians, Farooq Abdullah. Dozens of Kashmiri leaders were taken into custody since August last year when New Delhi stripped the disputed territory of its autonomy.

The Modi's government had claimed that ending the Himalayan region's special status was necessary for closer integration of the Muslim majority state into the rest of India.

It imposed a communication blackout with mobiles phones, internet links and landlines down and the detentions of scores of people including Abdullah to prevent large scale protests from erupting over the loss of autonomy for Occupied Kashmir.

The Modi government did not offer any reason on Friday for Abdullah's release when it made the announcement.



Abdullah, a former chief minister, told reporters he was happy to be free, but there were many others still under detention including his son who is also a former chief minister – Omar Abdullah.

"But this freedom is not complete; the freedom will be complete when all the leaders .... who are in either prisons in the state or outside the state, on in ... hostels or in various buildings where they have been put under house arrest," he told reporters in Srinagar.

The former CM said a window had opened with his release. "I hope that the government of India takes action soon to release everyone if they want that the people of the state should have freedom to live as free people," he added.