Caged Mehbooba gets new winter home

Srinagar, Nov 15: Ending speculations, detained Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti was shifted from Cheshmashahi hut to a ministerial bungalow at Moulana Azad Road Srinagar on Friday.

The development comes 10 days after her daughter Iltija Mufti tweeted a letter she had written to district development commissioner Srinagar urging him to shift her to “suitable location” in view of her falling health.

“As you are aware, my mother Ms Mehbooba Mufti, former CM of J&K has been jailed since August 5. A doctor recently ran multiple tests on her as she wasn’t keeping well. As per those tests, her Vitamin D3, haemoglobin and calcium levels are low,” Iltija had written in her letter.

Waking up to Mehbooba’s falling health, J&K government decided to shift her to a location equipped with proper heating arrangements.

Earlier, there were speculations that she might be shifted to Jammu.

However, on Friday government bit the bullet and shifted her to a new location in Srinagar.  “The Cheshmashahi hut where she was under detention is not equipped with adequate heating arrangements. She has been shifted to a posh bungalow which served as an official residence of former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh. It is equipped with adequate heating arrangements,” a source said.

Mehbooba was detained few hours before Centre abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two union territories on August 5.

The PDP chief earlier refused to meet her party leaders last month fearing it might be projected as normalcy by Centre.

Mehbooba is among three former chief ministers including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, who have been jailed since August 5. While Farooq, who was slapped with Public Safety Act, has been detained in his home, Omar is lodged at Hari Niwas guest house, which has been designated as sub jail.

Government has also decided to shift political detainees from Centaur Hotel to a private hotel at Shivpora Sonawar.