Srinagar: Almost all separatist leaders, including chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) have been put under house arrest in the Kashmir valley.
However, official sources said it was a preventive measure to avoid any law and order problem in the valley.
A spokesman for the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) said chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik remained under house arrest since yesterday to prevent him from marching towards the United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) office at Sonawar on Saturday.
The JKLF had given the UNMO challo call from its headquarter at Maisuma in protest against the alleged Human Rights violation, particularly the killing of a youth Hilal Ahmad at Bandipora allegedly by Army.
The spokesman said a large number of police and security forces remained deployed outside the Maisuma residence of Mr Malik, who was not being a+llowed to move out.
Chairman of the breakaway HC Syed Ali Shah Geelani also remained under house arrest since Wednesday evening though he had no programme to address any rally, spokesman of the amalgam Aiyaz Akbar said.
He said senior police officers have informed Mr Geelani that he cannot move out of his Hyderpora residence till further order.
Chairman of another faction of the hurriyat Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Umar Farooq has also put under house arrest since yesterday.
Security forces and police personnel outside his Nigeen house were not allowing him to move out, a spokesman for the hurriyat Shahidul Islam said.
He said Mirwaiz was schedu+led to address Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid.
Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman who had announced to visit Bandipora, where Hilal was allegedly shot dead by Army recently, was also put under house arrest since Thursday.
Two senior separatist leaders Mohammad Ashraf Sahrai and Bashir Ahmad were taken into preventive custody at Pattan when they were going to Bandipora on Friday. (UNI)
