Kashmir interlocutors meet Shah's ailing mother

The Centre's interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir on Monday met the ailing mother of jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah at his residence in Srinagar. Dileep Padgaonkar, the head of the panel, told reporters that the visit was a courtesy call as he had known Shah since a long time.

During the meeting, Shah's wife Dr Bilqees referred to the 'frequent' arrest of her husband by the state authorities. "I explained to them how he has been booked under the Public Safety Act eight times in the past three years. I also gave them a copy of the conditional release order issued by the government for Shah's release," she told PTI.

Bilqees said the interlocutors told her that they wanted to meet Shah at his residence and promised they would take up the matter with the concerned authorities. The interlocutors are scheduled to interact with students later in the day. The panel, comprising Padgaonkar, Radha Kumar and M M Ansari, is also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over lunch.