Geelani under house arrest for third day in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 12 (UNI) Breakaway Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued to remain under house arrest for the third consecutive day here today.

In a statement here, breakaway Hurriyat spokesman Aiyaz Akbar said the authorities had imposed strict restrictions on the movement of the aged leader and continued to prevent him from even leaving his residence at Hyderpora here.

Meanwhile, official sources said Mr Geelani had been placed under house arrest as a precautionary measure.

Mr Akbar said a huge number of police personnel had been deployed outside Mr Geelani's residence since Saturday at 0730 hrs. The Hurriyat Chairman was told by a senior police officer that he had been put under house arrest, he added.

The sources said the officials had apprehension that Mr Geelani would visit Pattan and Sopore where seven militants and four security personnel were killed, scores wounded and 15 houses damaged in two different encounters during the past three days.

Condemning the move in strongest terms, the spokesman said the ailing leader was not an armed person whose movement would create serious law and order problem in any part of the state.

He accused the police and civil administration of adopting ''dual policy'' on Mr Geelani vis-a-vis other separatist leaders.

Mr Akbar claimed that the police had been giving ''full protection and patronage to some chosen people'' while Mr Geelani was being targetted without any reason.

UNI