Jammu-Kashmir Ex CM Omar Abdullah freed

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was freed today after nearly eight months of detention.

Omar's release order was issued after charges under the Public Safety Act (PSA), slapped on him in February, were revoked.

Abdullah, who turned 50-year-old on March 10, had spent 232 days in custody since the Indian government announced abrogation of the constitution's special status of Jammu and Kashmir state on August 5 last year.

Omar, the National Conference leader, was initially detained under preventive custody and later slapped with the PSA on February 5.

The Supreme Court had last week, on a petition by Omar's sister seeking his immediate release, asked the Indian government to respond by this week about whether it planned to free him.

On March 13, Omar's father and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was freed.

Mehbooba Mufti, another former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was also detained on August 5.