Madani, Akhtar, Mansoor and Hilal were among leaders arrested on August 5 last year, the day the BJP government revoked Article 370 amid lockdown, communication blockade and arrest of thousands of others including three former chief ministers. They were released in summer this year after their preventive detention order was revoked. Akhtar was released on June 25. “It is like a re-run of post-August 5, 2019. No one tells us why they were detained, what charges are against them and when they will be released,” says an anguished relative of one the detained person. “It is ironic that you say democracy has won after the DDC polls and now you jailed democracy back after a brief session of voting,” he says. A PDP leader said another of their leaders from Ganderbal Bashir Ahmad Mir has also been detained. "Please don't quote me. Don't know after they see my quote they can take me as well," he said.