SRINAGAR, Kashmir: Rubiya Sayeed, the 23 year old daughter of India’s Minister of Home Affairs, was freed here on Wednesday by her kidnapers shortly after the release of five Kashmiri Muslim militants.

The release ended the first crisis to confront the new national Government of Prime Minister V.P. Singh. They came within hours of the arrival here of two high ranking federal officials, I.K, Gujral, the Foreign Minister, and Mohammed Arif Khan, the Minister of Energy and Civil Aviation.

They entered the negotiations after the state government of Jammu ‘and Kashmir had failed in four days of talks to free Miss Sayeed, a medical student, prompting militants of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front to renew death threats against her.

The release of the prisoners was not regarded as capitulation by Prime Minister Singh, who is not held responsible for the growth of militancy in the state, That blame falls to the state government which came to power through a coalition with the Congress Party of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Flying to New Delhi

An important reason for the appointment of Mohammed Sayeed, the abducted woman’s father, as Home Affairs Minister was to address the deteriorating political situation in Kashmir. The Sayeeds are Kashmiri Muslims.

Miss Sayeed, other members of the family and the two federal Ministers were flown to New DeIhi Kashmiri police officials said. In New Delhi, Mr. Sayeed said simply: “Rubiya has a new lease on life. Our agony has ended.”

Mr. Sayeed, who was appointed Home Minister a week ago was praised by Prime Minister Singh for his “unflinching commitment” to his new office the face of his family crisis, during which the minister remained in New Delhi.

In Srinagar, young men and boys surged into the streets tonight to celebrate the militants release setting off firecrackers, lighting candies and bonfires and flying the flags of cessation, The state government could do nothing to stop the celebrations. The state government of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah deflected all questions about the release of the militants. Officials, who kept reporters waiting hours for a news conference that did not materialize did not say whether the charges of terrorism against the five men freed this afternoon had been dropped. At 9 pm journalists were read a four sentence statement over the telephone. No questions were entertained.

State officials were unable to say what would happen to the only foreigner, a Pakistani among the five militants released.

The talks with the militants had broken down over the issue of whether the militants and Miss Sayeed would be freed separately or at the same time.

Many Kashmiris said the days of the Abdullah government are now numbered. Prime Minister Singh, whose Cabinet has emerged creditably from the crisis, has the authority to dissolve the state government appoint a governor and call for new elections.

Kashmiri Muslim militants have increased their strength dramatically since Dr. Abdullah, a physician, returned to power in 1987 in a coalition with Gandhi’s party.

A Muslim Majority

Jammu and Kashmir is India’s only state with a Muslim majority, and most Muslims are concentrated in the Kashmir Valley. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan at independence in 1947, and New Delhi has blocked all United Nations efforts to let the people decide their future allegiance.

“The state has turned to turmoil in these last two years,” Home Minister Sayeed said. He promised to make a political solution to Kashmir a high priority.

The militants released, all thought to be in their 20’s were Abdul Hamid Sheikh who had been badly wounded in a shootout with police officers who arrested him and will require medical care, Noor Mohammed Kalwal; Javed Mohammed Zargar; Mohammed Altas Butt, the brother of Maqbool Butt, hanged more than a decade ago for hijacking an Indian plane, and Sher Mohammed Khan Azad, a Pakistani citizen who had apparently been acting as a guide across the mountains to Pakistani Kashmir and as a go-between in weapons deals.

All are members of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, ‘one of several groups seeking independence for Kashmir. Some also advocate the accession of the area to Muslim Pakistan.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 22, 1989