Yasin Malik’s health deteriorating, release him on bail: Family urges govt

Expressing concern over the worsening health condition of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Muhammad Yasin Malik, who is incarcerated in Delhi’s Tihar central jail, his family on Friday asked authorities to release him on bail if they are not able to provide him necessary medical care.

“We only want to ask Indian authorities that if they want to keep Yasin Malik, do keep him but you have no right to deny him proper medical care according to established laws and norms,” Malik’s sister said at a press conference in Srinagar.

“If you are not able to provide him necessary medical care, release him on bail so that we (his sisters) can provide him the important medical care and save his life,” she added.

She said that the family was only asking for rights that every prisoner is entitled to according to Geneva Convention.

“Why this apathy and cruelty towards Yasin Malik? If Indian government thinks that Kashmir issue can get resolved by killing Yasin Malik, then they should do it once, why put him on a slow death trail?” she said.

The family while expressing concern over Malik’s condition said his health was deteriorating with each passing day in solitary cell at Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

“My brother is suffering from multiple ailments. He has also developed infection in his ear for which he had already been operated. Such is his health condition that he is not able to stand properly,” she added.

Meanwhile, the situation went from bad to worse in the Valley as the government called off the Amarnath Yatra, giving rise to fresh apprehensions and panic that has spiralled with heavy deployment of the troops over the last few days.

People in the Valley on Friday scrambled to store food grains and fuel amid uncertainty and fear of trouble ahead. Kashmir’s mainstream political leaders too looked clueless as to what the Centre was up to.