National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding immediate release of Kashmiri youth held in jails outside Jammu and Kashmir.

“As the representative of people of Jammu and Kashmir, I would like to bring to your notice that several of our people have been incarcerated from different regions of the valley. I would like to further bring to your knowledge that most of the prisoners held without a trial happen to be young individuals. It is unfair on part of the government to hold these people at an age that is decisive for career and nation building. So, I believe their release to be imperative, and call upon the government to release the prisoners without any trial at the earliest,” Mr. Mehdi said, in a letter addressed to the Union Minister.

The Srinagar MP also highlighted the condition of jailed Kashmiris outside the Union Territory. “Also, the weather conditions of the Kashmir province of Jammu and Kashmir are different from the rest of the nation. Those prisoners who are convicted or are undertrial should be shifted to the valley on humanitarian aspects,” the MP said.

The NC leader said it was difficult, both physically and financially, for the relatives of these prisoners to meet them in different parts of the country.

Hundreds of locals are believed to be languishing in jails outside the UT. Scores of them were arrested in a crackdown that was launched after the Centre ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019.

Agencies