Geelani, Shah under house arrest in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 23: Breakaway Hurriyat Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Chief Shabir Ahmed Shah continue to be under house arrest for the second day today.

The two senior separatist leaders were put under house arrest yesterday to prevent them from addressing anti-election meetings in three Assembly constituencies of Pattan, Sangrama and Rafiabad in north Kashmir's Baramulla district where by-elections will be held tomorrow.

A strong posse of police had been deployed outside Mr Geelani's residence at Hyderpora in the uptown city since yesterday morning and he was not being allowed to move out, a breakaway Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar told UNI.

To step up his poll boycott campaign, the Hurriyat hardliner was scheduled to address several anti-election meetings yesterday.

Similarly, police personnel were deployed outside Mr Shah's residence at Rawalpora here yesterday morning to prevent him from coming out and they continue to be there even today, DFP sources told sources.

He was also scheduled to address several anti-election meetings in all the three constituencies.

UNI