JK govt orders release of 12 detained under PSA

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday evening ordered the release of 12 persons detained under the harsh Public Safety Act (PSA).

"The release is temporary," an official statement in Srinagar said, adding, "The release was ordered on the recommendations of the review committee."

"As per the order, the terms and conditions have been communicated to the detainees accordingly," the statement added.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who led an all-party delegation to Srinagar recently, had as part of his eight point initiative asked the state government to review the cases of the detainees under PSA.

The eight-point initiative had also sought the release of all youths held during the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

The four-month-long unrest, which has claimed 110 lives and left hundreds wounded -- some of them crippled for life -- was triggered following the killing of a 17-year-old youth Tufail Ahmad Mattoo.

Mattoo had been hit on his head by a tear gas shell on June 11 in the old city area.

However, the government is yet to review the PSA of top separatist leaders, including Shabir Ahmad Shah, Naeem Ahmad Khan, Kashmir bar association president Mian Abdul Quyoom and general secretary GN Shaheen.