Mirwaiz Umer Farooq released from jail; placed under house arrest

The authorities on Monday released Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group, from jail and placed him under house arrest here.

Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, Umer Farooq's secretary, said the Mirwaiz has been released from the Chashma Shahi tourist hut which was designated as a sub-jail and he reached his uptown Nigeen residence in Srinagar.

Shahid-ul-Islam said police had informed the Mirwaiz that he was being placed under house arrest.

Mirwaiz Umer was taken into custody by the authorities and placed under detention in a tourist hut in the high security Chashma Shahi area of Srinagar with the beginning of the present unrest in the Kashmir Valley on July 9 after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was gunned down by the security forces.