Kin of detained leaders seek better facilities

Srinagar: The MLA Hostel in Srinagar where 33 politicians were recently shifted lacks basic facilities and has no proper heating and lighting arrangements, said relatives of the detainees. They also accused security forces guarding the premises of harassing visitors of the detainees, especially female relatives, saying they were forced to undergo a humiliating body search.


“They should shift them to some hostel in Jammu or to central jail in Srinagar. This place has no heating or lighting arrangements. This place has many problems,” said Tanveer, relative of National Conference leader Bashir Ahmad Veeri who is also under detention.


On November 17, when the politicians were shifted to MLA Hostel from the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre on the banks of Dal Lake, Sajad Lone, a former BJP ally, entered into a verbal brawl with the security forces, who conducted a rigorous body search on him and others.