By Zafar Iqbal

Srinagar, Feb 5 (IANS): In a major development, the People's Conference President Sajad Lone and PDP leader Waheed Para have been released from detention on Wednesday. The two leaders have been under detention since August 5 after the abrogation of Article 370.

This follows after the release of former PDP legislator Ajaz Mir and trade union leader Shakeel Kalander on Tuesday.

On Sunday, four mainstream leaders belonging to the National Conference were released from the MLA hostel in Srinagar. With the release of Lone and Para, the number of leaders under detention stands at 13 now. Three former chief ministers -- Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti continue to remain under detention.

Farooq Abdullah has been detained at his home at the Gupkar Road in Srinagar which has been designated as a sub-jail.

Omar Abdullah is detained at Hari Niwas and Mehbooba Mufti has been kept in a government building on the Maulana Azad road in Srinagar. A total of 35 mainstream politicians were moved from the Centaur Hotel on the banks of the Dal Lake to the MLA hostel in November 2019.