Geelani, Omar, Yaseen, other separtists still under house arrest

Srinagar April 30: Over a dozen separatist leaders, including chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKF) cheif Mohammad Yaseen Malik remained under house arrest in Kashmir valley, where polling was being held in Anantnag Parliamentary constituency today.
It was a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, officials said.
Meanwhile, two senior separatist leaders--Zafar Akbar Bhat and Yasmeen Raja were arrested alongwith their supporters when they tried to hold an anti election rally at Pampore in Anantnag constituency.
Chairman of the breakaway HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani remained under house arrest for the past three weeks, a spokesman of the Hurriyat said.
He said the telephone lines of Mr Geelani were also snapped last evening and nobody was being allowed to meet him since yesterday.
Spokesman said the Hurriyat chairman was not being allowed to leave the home since he was put under house arrest.
Mr Geelani, who appealed to people to stay away from the poll process, addressed an anti-election rally at Jehangir Chowk before he was put under house arrest.
However, his spokesman Aiyaz Akbar was arrested by police from the headquarters of Amalgam at Rajbagh two weeks ago.