Omar Abdullah’s ‘New Look’ Surfaces on Social Media, Ex-J&K CM Seen in Greyish-White Beard

The 49-year-old, in detention since August 5 last year, can also be seen wearing a monkey cap standing amid what appears to be snowfall.

New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday created a flutter as a picture, apparently showing his new look, surfaced on social media and divided opinions, with many netizens commenting on how ‘happy’ he looked while others lamented his ‘illegal detention’ by the Centre.

This is for the second time that a picture has emerged showing his alleged new look, with one emerging last October as well. The 49-year-old National Conference (NC) leader has been under detention since August 5 last year, when the Centre revoked Article 370 of the Constitution, thus scrapping the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The region was also spilt into two separate union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

In the photo that has emerged, Omar can be seen sporting a greyish-white long beard, unlike his usual clean-shaven look. He can also be seen wearing a monkey cap standing amid what appears to be a snowfall as pieces of snow can be seen on his jacket. In the last picture that emerged, he was seen wearing a blue shirt and his trademark spectacles with a near-bald head.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was among those to share the image on her Twitter account, remarking: “I could not recognize Omar in this picture. Am feeling sad. Unfortunate that this is happening in our democratic country. When will this end?”

I could not recognize Omar in this picture. Am feeling sad. Unfortunate that this is happening in our democratic country. When will this end ? pic.twitter.com/lbO0PxnhWn

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 25, 2020

Earlier this month, Omar was shifted from Srinagar’s Hari Nivas, where he had been kept since August 5, to the government bungalow M-4 on the city’s Gupkar Road. He is among several politicians from the Valley who were detained by the Centre in the wake of its move to prevent law and order situation from spiralling out of control.

Omar, his father and NC chief Farooq Abdullah and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti are among three former Chief Ministers kept under detention by the Centre. However, in recent days, a total of 26 political detainees have been released by the government.