Jammu, June 27 (IANS) Tihar Jail officials, on Friday, dismissed as rumours some media reports and statements by Kashmiri politicians, including two members of Parliament (MPs), about the so-called deteriorating health of jailed separatist leader, Shabir Shah.

Shabir Shah was arrested in 2017 for his activities deemed prejudicial to the integrity and the sovereignty of the country.

He was also charged with inciting youth to violence and lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.

Two ruling National Conference (NC) MPs from Jammu and Kashmir — Gujjar leader Mian Altaf Ahmad and Shia Muslim leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi — had appealed the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure that Shabir Shah gets proper treatment as he was reportedly ill with prostrate cancer.

Ruhullah Mehdi claimed that he came to know about the serious illness of Shabir Shah from the latter’s family.

A statement issued on Friday by Arvind Kumar, Delhi Prisons Public Relations Officer, said, “Some rumours are reportedly being circulated in social media about the critical health of the inmate, Shabir Ahmad Shah, the son of Ghulam Mohammad Shah.

“In this regard it is stated that the above said inmate has been provided all medical attention and his condition is stable. He was referred to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on June 26, 2025, for OPD consultation with respect to some urinary tract symptoms and was admitted for further tests/evaluation.”

“All his reports have been found to be normal and appropriate medical treatment is being provided to him at the Safdarjung Hospital.”

After August 5, 2019, most separatist leaders were arrested and lodged in different jails as a law and order maintenance requirement.

Several separatist leaders like Shabir Shah and Masrat Alam had been arrested earlier than 2019.

These separatist leaders would publicly advocate secession from India and creation of an independent Jammu and Kashmir or merger with Pakistan.

Terrorists wielding guns against the state would be glorified during their life and death by these leaders, thereby stoking separatist passions to push more and more youth into violence.

–IANS

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