NC’s Hilal Akbar Lone booked under PSA

National Conference leader Hilal Akber Lone, 47, was booked under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on Saturday and became the eighth mainstream leader to be booked under it.

Hilal is a son of Parliament member and senior NC leader Mohammad Akbar Lone

Detained on August 5, 2019, during the clampdown against the mainstream leaders in the wake of the revocation of J&K’s special status, the extension of detention of Hilal Akbar under the PSA would mean he could be held behind the bars without a trial up to two years and his release depends on the charges levelled against him.

The development comes just a few days after six mainstream leaders including two former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah also faced the PSA.

However, two NC leaders, ex-speaker Mubarak Gul and political advisor to Omar Abdullah, Tanvir Sadiq, were released from the MLA hostel and shifted to their residences. Only eight leaders now remain detained in the MLA Hostel, including J&K Peoples Movement chief Shah Faesal.