Srinagar, September 1: Two former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir - Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti - have been allowed to meet their families nearly a month after the abrogation of Article 370, according to a report. Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are under "preventive detention" since the Modi government's August 5 announcement of the scrapping of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Omar Abdullah Works Out at Gym And Watches Hollywood Movies in Detention, Mehbooba Mufti Confines Herself to Books.

Family members of Omar Abdullah met him twice this week, NDTV reported. Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference, is detained at the government guesthouse at Hari Niwas Palace in Srinagar. His sister, Safia, and her children were also allowed to meet him for 20 minutes on Saturday. Safia and her aunt were first allowed to speak to Omar over a call on August 12, the day of Eid-ul-Azha. Iltija Javed, Mehbooba Mufti's Daughter, Writes to Amit Shah Over Abrogation of Article 370, Says 'Kashmiris Have Been Caged Like Animals'.

After several requests, Safia and her aunt were finally granted permission to meet Omar this Monday, August 26. The NDTV report also said Mehbooba Mufti's mother and sister were allowed to meet her on Thursday, August 29. The president of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) is placed under detention at a JKTDC-owned hut at Chashme Shahi. Both Omar and Mehbooba reportedly don't have access to telephone, newspaper and cable TV.

The administration, however, has provided DVDs of Hollywood movies to Omar who is allowed a morning walk inside the palace grounds. A gym facility is also available for him. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah's father and three-time Chief Minister, has also been under house arrest at his residence on Gupkar Road. His repeated requests to meet his son were turned down.

On Agust 5, the Parliament scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act which bifurcates the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature, and Ladakh without one. Since then, several other leaders of National Conference, PDP and Sajjad Lone's People’s Conference have been either detained or placed under house arrest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2019 09:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).