Separatist leaders in custody ahead of Afzal Guru’s death anniversary

Srinagar: The authorities have started crack down on separatists and other trouble makers ahead of death anniversaries of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on February 9 and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat on February 11.Afzal Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 while Maqbool Bhat on February 11, 1984 in Delhi’s Tihar and later buried there.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), consisting of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Miwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, has called for general strike on February 9 and 11 besides announced to present a memorandum to United Nations Military Observers for India and Pakistan (UNMOIP) at Sonawar.

The Mirwaiz, who was released only on February 5, has again been put under house arrest on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the moderate HC said.He said state police and paramilitary forces have been deployed outside the Nigeen house of amalgam chairman, who has been informed that he cannot leave till further orders.

Strongly condemning authorities for imposing restrictions on the Mirwaiz, he said no Friday prayers could be allowed last week, when Mirwaiz was detained after he defied house arrest to joint 'Shopian Chalo' against civilian deaths in security force action there (Shopian).Mr Geelani also remained under house arrest since his return from New Delhi last year. However, he was taken into preventive custody a number of times when he defied house arrest restrictions during this period and only to be released in the evening each time.

Security forces an state police personnel remained deployed outside his Hyderpora residence, a spokesman of the hardline HC said.Meanwhile, a police party raided the Maisuma residence of Mr Malik who was later taken into custody. Malik has been lodged in central jail, Srinagar. The arrest of Malik was made two days before the proposed strike on death anniversary of Afzal as on last Friday, he gave slip to security forces and reached Shopian where he addressed congregation. However, he was later arrested immediately after he came out of Shopian Jamia Masjid, evoking massive protests in the town.(UNI)