At least 22 detainees booked under the Public Safety Act in Jammu and Kashmir have been transferred to the high-security Agra Central Jail. The detainees were kept in different jails in Jammu for the past several months.
The transfer of detainees coincides with a massive operation of questioning, summoning, and detention of youths across J&K following targeted killings of civilians (mainly minorities and non-locals). 35 people, including 14 militants, 12 civilians, and 9 soldiers have been killed this month so far.
The shifting has been conducted under Section 10-B of the J&K Public Safety Act of 1978. “Government hereby directs to remove/shift the 22 detainees who have been detained under the provision of J&K Public Safety Act 1978, from their present places of lodgment to central jail, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, with immediate effect,” the official order read.
After August 5, 2019, when the special status of J&K was revoked and the state was downgraded into two Union Territories, the administration detained at least 7500 including ex-CMs, lawyers, businessmen, and Hurriyat members.
