Jammu and Kashmir administration releases three politicians from detention
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday released three politicians who were under detention since August 5 when the Centre abrogated the special status granted to the state under the Constitution, officials said.
Yawar Mir, Noor Mohammed and Shoiab Lone were be released on various grounds, the officials said, explaining the reasons for ending of their detention.
While Mir is a former PDA MLA from the Rafiabad assembly seat, Lone contested unsuccessfully on a Congress ticket from North Kashmir and later resigned as district president of the party.
Noor Mohammed is a National Conference worker who has been managing the party's show in the militancy-infested Batmaloo area of the Srinagar city.
Before his release, he will be signing a bond to maintain peace and good behaviour, the officials said on Wednesday night.
The governor administration had earlier released Imran Ansari of the People's Conference and Syed Akhoon on health grounds on September 21.
More than a thousand people, including politicians, separatists, activists and lawyers, were detained after the August 5 move of the central government to abrogate the state's special status.
The detainees include three former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Over 250 people were sent to the jails outside Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah was subsequently detained under the stringent Public Safety Act, while other politicians were mostly detained under different sections of the criminal procedure code.
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Attack on Indian-flagged merchant ship off Oman coast unacceptable: MEA
New Delhi (PTI): An Indian-flagged commercial vessel has come under attack off the coast of Oman but all its 14 crew members are safe, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
It is not immediately known who carried out the strike on the vessel on Wednesday.
The MEA described the attack as "unacceptable".
"The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted," it said.
"All Indian crew on board are safe and we thank the Omani authorities for rescuing them," it said.
The MEA said India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided.
The vessel was sailing from Somalia and the strike triggered a fire that led to sinking of the vessel, it is learnt.
The crew members were rescued by Oman's Coast Guard and taken to Diba port.
At least two other Indian-flagged ships have been attacked since the war between the US and Iran began on February 28.
The latest attack came amid the fragile security situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
