Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone was released on Friday after a long detention, PTI reported. He took to Twitter to announce his release.

“Finally 5 days short of a year I have been officially informed that I am a free man. So much has changed. So have I. Jail was not a new experience. Earlier ones were harsh with usual doses of physical torture. But this was psychologically draining. Much to share hopefully soon”, he tweeted.

A cabinet minister in the PDP-BJP coalition, Lone was detained on August 5, last year, the day central government abrogated Article 370.

He, along with several other Kashmiri leaders were first kept at a makeshift jail at Centaur hotel on the banks the Dal Lake. They were then moved to the MLA hostel. 

Earlier this year, in February, Lone along with PDP leader Waheed Parra were moved to their residences and were kept under house arrest.