7 Months Into Detention, ‘Fresh Photo of Omar Abdullah’ Surfaces

National Conference Leader Omar Abdullah standing with a doctor.

(Photo: Mufti Islah/Altered by The Quint)

An unverified photo which purportedly shows National Conference Leader Omar Abdullah standing next to a doctor is viral on social media. It is not known when the photograph was taken.

It has been nearly seven months since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Social media access was recently resumed in the union territory.

Former Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and NC leaders Omar and Farooq Abdullah were among the leaders who were detained under Section 107 of Code of Criminal Procedure.

Omar continues to be in detention at Hari Niwas under the Public Safety Act. None of the leaders who are currently under preventive custody have been active on their social media accounts.

In late January, an unverified photo of Abdullah showing him sporting a greyish beard was also circulated online. The photo caught the attention of several people on social media platforms, including that of politicians.

Very Vocal Critic: SC on Abdullah

Terming it a case of personal liberty, the Supreme Court on Monday said it will hear a plea filed by Sara Abdullah Pilot challenging the detention of her brother Omar Abdullah under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA).

"The matter pertains to personal liberty," said a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Indira Banerjee even as the Jammu and Kashmir administration contended that Abdullah has been detained under the PSA considering his "past conduct" and possibility of such conduct being repeated on his release, which may "prejudice the public order".

Terming Abdullah as "a very vocal critic" of abrogation of Article 370, the J&K administration has claimed in the apex court that his acts fell squarely within the realm of public order as they were "calculated to disturb public peace and tranquility".

(With inputs from PTI)