They were originally held under a law that allowed a maximum of six months, and their detention was about to expire. "The law does not allow preventive detention beyond six months. So they had to be either released or booked under PSA," said one government official on condition of anonymity. "Several other regional leaders who have also completed six months under preventive detention are likely to be booked under PSA," the second official said. Ahead of scrapping of Kashmir's autonomy, India's federal government had detained around 5,000 people including businessmen, civil society members, lawyers and activists to prevent protests breaking out.

Source: bd News24 February 07, 2020 06:45 UTC