As Srinagar reeled under harsh winter conditions, the Jammu & Kashmir administration on Sunday shifted all 34 political prisoners, lodged at Centaur Hotel since August 5, to the MLA Hostel as the facility lacked proper heating arrangements, officials said.
The winter chill took a toll on the health of the detenues — National Conference, PDP and People's Conference leaders and prominent social activists — and the security personnel guarding them.
They were lodged at the hotel on the bank of the scenic Dal Lake on August 5 when the central government announced its decision to abrogate Jammu & Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and split the state into two Union territories.
Kashmir Valley, including Srinagar City, was reeling under winter chill and witnessed the season's first snowfall earlier this month. The seat of administration in the newly created Union territory has moved from Srinagar to Jammu for the winter months.
The administration carried out required modification of rooms in the MLA Hostel on Maulana Azad Road in the heart of the city to accommodate the political prisoners. It has been declared as a subsidiary jail by an order of the J-K home department.
Among the political prisoners are Sajjad Lone of People's Conference (PC), Ali Mohammad Sagar of National Conference (NC), Naem Akhtar of the PDP and former IAS officer Shah Faesal.
Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was on Friday shifted to a Government accommodation in the city from a tourist hut located at the foothills of Zaberwan range, officials said here.