Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday claimed that Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is not under house arrest.
The claims have evoked strong reaction from both mainstream as well as separatists.
“He (Umar Farooq) is not under house arrest… His father was killed in an unfortunate incident. Police are placed around him (Mirwaiz) for his protection,” Sinha told BBC Hindi service.
“He (Mirwaiz) is neither arrested nor detained. He must decide what he wants to do,” Sinha added.
The Lt Governor said that even in 2019 Mirwaiz Farooq was not detained under the Public Safety Act.
Mirwaiz Farooq was among the several separatist and mainstream leaders who were detained a day before the Centre ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 4, 2019. Those detained ahead of the 370 scrapping included former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone.
On August 4 Mirwaiz Farooq completed three years “under house arrest.” (UNI)
