Bearded Omar Abdullah fires up Twitter; Mamata calls situation unfortunate
New Delhi, Jan 25: A photograph of detained former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah surfaced on Twitter on Saturday in which he seemed almost unrecognisable sporting a salt and pepper beard, triggering reactions of awe and anger from netizens, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Omar is among the three former chief ministers of the erstwhile state who continue to be in custody since August 5 when the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divided it in two Union Territories.
This is first picture of 49-year-old Omar to have appeared in public domain after five months of captivity. It showed him smiling in a snow covered jacket and sporting an unkempt greyish beard.
"I could not recognize Omar in this picture. Am feeling sad. Unfortunate that this is happening in our democratic country. When will this end," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked on the micro-blogging site.
Congress leader Milind Deora tweeted that successive Indian governments have benefited richly from Abdullah's economic and political views.
"...Muting nationalists like him made our national discourse poorer. Complete normalcy must be restored soon," he said.
Congress spokesperson Salman Soz said that after seeing Omar Abdullah's "leaked" photo, some were asking the NC leader to come back on Twitter and carry on as usual.
"It's as if he is off on a holiday. The govt illegally detained him (and others), judiciary played along, most media asked no questions. You are complicit," he said on twitter.
"How bad must it be that we are feeling happy just to see a smiling pic of the former CM of J&K @OmarAbdullah. Would truly be a happy moment when he and the rest are out and about, not under house arrest, hear them speak and read his tweets. Till then just the pic brings hope!," Shiv Sena Deputy leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
Omar and two former chief ministers -- his father Farooq Abdullah and political rival Mehbooba Mufti -- were detained along with a large number of politicians, activists, lawyers on August 5 under section 107 of Code of Criminal Procedure.
The stringent provision allows local law enforcement authorities to put a person in preventive custody for a period of six months if that person is suspected to commit a breach peace or disturb public tranquillity.
I could not recognize Omar in this picture. Am feeling sad. Unfortunate that this is happening in our democratic country. When will this end ? pic.twitter.com/lbO0PxnhWn
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 25, 2020
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
