Families of Kashmir youth detained in the jails outside J&K have urged the authorities to release their kin amid the scare owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
During the last two days, Greater Kashmir received dozens ofcalls from families of the detainees, appealing the authorities to shift theirkin amid the COVID19 pandemic.
“In view of the ongoing situation the authorities shouldrelease our kin on humanitarian grounds,” said the families. “This pandemic canreach anywhere and if the infection reaches the jails it could provedisastrous.”
The government has set-up a high powered committee to reviewthe cases. The families said they were hopeful their kin will be released orshifted to jails in Kashmir.
Family members of some of the youth detained since Augustlast year said they have not been able to meet them owing to their pooreconomic conditions.
While many political leaders have been released since, youthbooked under the Public Safety Act continue to remain lodged in jails thousandsof km away from their residence.
The government said it had detained 444 people under the PSAafter August 5, of which around 300 were still under detention.
An official said around 180 Kashmiri inmates were lodged insix prisons of UP, including Lucknow, Bareilly and Ambedkar Nagar districtprisons and Agra, Prayagraj and Varanasi central jail.
Talking to Greater Kashmir over phone Director General ofPrisons, Uttar Pradesh Anand Kumar said Kashmiris detained in different statejails were “doing well”,
“They are in good health and none of them have complained ofany illness,” said Kumar. “We get their medical examination done every day.”
The top cop said in case there were orders for release orshifting the Kashmiri inmates to the Valley jails, they will help in shiftingthem.