Geelani, Yaseen and Prof Bhat put under house arrest in Kashmir

Srinagar May 21: Chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik and two other separatist leaders remained under house arrest in Kashmir, where a complete shut down was being observed today on the martyrdom anniversaries of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Gani Lone.
The authorities also put under house arrest former chairman of moderate HC Prof Abdul Gani Bhat and Zafar Akbar Bhat. A spokesman of the HC Aiyaz Akbar told UNI today that Mr Geelani remained under house arrest since May 18 evening.
The Hurriyat chiarman was released on Friday evening after remaining under house arrest for 42 days, he said.
Mr Akbar said Mr Geelani was again informed by a senior police officer this morning that he could not leave his house Hyderpora house till further orders.
The spokesman said another senior Hurriyat leader Mohammad Ashraf Sehrayee has also been put under house arrest since last evening.
Srinagar district president of the Tehreeh-e-Huriyat (TeH) headed by Mr Geelani Raja Mehrajuddin has also been put under house arrest since early this morning, Mr Akbar said.
Raja was released recently after a nine-month detention, he said and strongly condemned it.
A spokesman of the JKLF told UNI today that Mr Malik, who was put under house arrest at his Maisuma residence on Monday evening, was still not being allowed to move out.
He said a large number of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police personnel remained deployed outside his house.
JKLF chief was recently released after more than three weeks of house arrest.
He strongly criticised the authorities for putting Mr Malik under house arrest.
A spokesman of the moderate HC Saleem Geelani said Prof Bhat and Zafar were also put under house arrest since yesterday to prevent them from attending the ''Election Rejection'' rally called by the amalgam at Eidgah on the death anniversaries of Mirwaiz Farooq and Khawaja Lone today. However, the district administration has allowed the HC to hold the rally. (UNI)