The Jammu and Kashmir [Images] government in consultation with the Union Home Ministry has decided to release 40 prisoners lodged in different jails of the state including three from Sangrur in Punjab.

These prisoners are not involved in heinous crimes. Five of the detainees, including a woman called Khamida Bee detained under the Public Safety Act, also figure in the list.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] in the round table conference on Jammu and Kashmir held on February 25 in New Delhi had promised to release the prisoners to create a conducive atmosphere before the second round table conference in Srinagar [Images].

A team of home ministry officials had visited Jammu last week to screen the names of prisoners to be released.

Twenty-three of them are being released from Kot Bhalwal jail, two from Heera Nagar, three from Sanrur (Punjab), six from district jail Jammu and another six from Srinagar.

The release is expected to be completed in the next 24 hours and the prisoners are being released in batches.