Lucknow, Oct 1 (IANS): Prisoners from different jails of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) are being shifted to the jails of Uttar Pradesh as a precautionary measure and security concerns.

In one such move, a prisoner Jaweed Ahmad Darr from Bhaderwah jail of Jammu was shifted to Ambedkar Nagar jail of the state on Saturday.

Similarly, over 100 prisoners related to anti-national and terror activities lodged in prisons of J&K have been shifted to jails of Uttar Pradesh after the Centre nullified Article 370 and Section 35A and declared Jammu and Kashmir as two different Union Territories in August 2019.

The UP prisons officials said it was a routine shifting of prisoners.

Although senior police and administrative officials remain tight-lipped over the issue, it is believed the step has been taken for security reasons.

“It is just a routine shifting of prisoners from Jammu and Kashmir jails to UP prisons as a precautionary measure,” stated DG prisons S.N. Sabat while confirming the move.

The recent shifting of J&K prisoners came to the fore when a team shifting Jaweed Ahmed Darr to Ambedkar Nagar jail took a night halt in Sitapur’s Sidhauli police station.

Police personnel involved in the process said over 100 prisoners from different jails of J&K were to be shifted to jails of Uttar Pradesh and other northern states.

In 2019, around 26 prisoners from Jammu and Kashmir were shifted to Agra central, 24 inmates were shifted to Lucknow district jail and 20 others were transferred to Bareilly district jail.

Similarly, more prisoners from the J&K jails were shifted to other UP jails.