Mehbooba Mufti Shifted Closer Home In Srinagar After Daughter's Appeal

Former Chief Minister of Kashmir and president of People's Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti has been shifted from the place she was originally detained in since August to a warmer location in Srinagar closer to her house on November 14. Her daughter, Iltija Mufti wrote to the Srinagar deputy commissioner in which she warned the government that if anything happens to her, it will be held responsible.

An officer said that she has been moved to a government facility, which has been turned into a sub-jail, on Moulana Azad Road in the heart of the city centre. “She has been shifted to a very good house,” the officer said, The Telegraph reported.

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“She had been complaining about extreme cold and ill health, and there was no heating arrangement as well,” a senior police official told ET on condition of anonymity.

PDP leader Mufti has been detained since the central government declared abrogation of Section 370 on August 5. She has been detained along with other political leaders of Kashmir. While earlier, she was lodged at Chashme Shahi in the Zabarwan foothills of the city, now she has been shifted to a warmer place in Srinagar's Lal Chowk area closer to her home where she lived for many years.

The shifting came amidst criticism that the jail she was lodged at earlier did not have the proper heating arrangement for Mufti to deal with the valley's harsh winters. “We have six (government) houses here and she has been allotted one,” said a security man guarding Mehbooba’s new detention home.

“As you are aware my mother Ms Mehbooba Mufti, former CM J&K has been jailed since 5 August. A doctor recently ran multiple tests on her as she was not keeping well. As per those tests, her Vitamin D, haemoglobin and Calcium levels are low,” said Iltija in the letter, India Today reported.

She added, “The accommodation she is currently lodged in is not equipped for Kashmir's harsh winters. Keeping in mind these points, I would like to request you to shift her to another location more suitable. I hope you will address this problem urgently.”

While earlier, she was lodged at Chashme Shahi in the Zabarwan foothills of the city, now she has been shifted to a warmer place in Srinagar's Lal Chowk area closer to her home where she lived for many years.

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Iltija told Telegraph, “I had asked for an adequate space with proper sunlight. I have not seen the new place, so I can’t say whether it is adequate.” She revealed the specific location which is house No. 5 on transport lane of MA Road - adjacent to the house where they lived in 2002 when her grandfather was the CM.

Along with Mufti, former CMs Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, of the National Conference have also been detained since the valley has been stripped off its statehood.

Picture Credit- PTI