Hurriyat leader Geelani, 20 others detained in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 4: Chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani was taken into preventive custody along with 20 of his supporters in north Kashmir, official sources said.

Sources said police stopped vehicles carrying Mr Geelani and other HC supporters at Mirgund and took them into custody as a precautionary measure.

A spokesman of the HC said Mr Geelani was on way to Baramulla for anti-election campaign in three assembly constituencies where bypoll will be held on April 24.

Mr Geelani has already addressed a number of anti-election campaigns in north Kashmir, appealing people to boycott the polls.

He has said election or selection will not help to make any breakthrough on the Kashmir issue, which has to be resolved only by holding tripartite talks and implementing the United Nations resolutions.

Besides the HC, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and the Kashmir Bar Association have also appealed to the people to stay away from the election process.

UNI