J&K: Released From House Arrest After 4 Years, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Breaks Down At Friday Sermon

Hurriyat Conference chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq turned emotional after being released from house arrest after four years, earlier on 22nd September. He broke into tears while delivering the Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir as reported by PTI.

As per officials, Farooq was detained after the GOI went ahead and abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution of India in August 2019 and it has now been after four years that he has finally been released.

As per PTI, the Mirwaiz will be allowed to take part in the Friday congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area here, the officials from the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the management committee of the mosque said.

"Senior police officials visited the residence of the Mirwaiz on Thursday to inform him that the authorities have decided to release him from house detention and allow him to go to Jamia Masjid for Friday prayers," the Auqaf said in a statement

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah welcoming the decision said, "We welcome this step by the government. He should not have been held under house arrest for so long. Now that he has been released it means that the situation here is not so bad and elections can be conducted. We hope he will fulfill his socio-religious role now." as reported by ANI.

Reportedly, Mirwaiz was released shortly after he filed a petition with the J&K High Court. On 15th September, the court asked the J&K administration for a response and gave them a four-week period to do so. Before this, Mirwaiz had also sent a legal notice to the J&K administration over his "house detention" on 18th August.

The notice mentions that the Jammu and Kashmir administration denied Mirwaiz's detention and said that he was free to relocate to any location. However, "on the other hand, the deployment of a large contingent of security forces outside the Nigeen residence of my client nullifies the aforesaid stand of lieutenant governor...," as per the notice by Mirwaiz's lawyer as quoted in Media reports.

Hurriyat Conference leader was put on house arrest along with several other political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir on 5th August 2019, the same day when the BJP-led government of India revoked several provisions of Article 370 and split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two separate Union territories.