Geelani Hurriyat for strike on Friday to protest his arrest

Srinagar, June 7 (UNI) The breakaway Hurriyat Conference has called for a general strike in Kashmir on Friday in protest against the arrest of its Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Poonch today.

The Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, also led by Mr Geelani, too has given the strike call.

Addressing a news conference here, Tehreek-e-Hurriayt General Secretary Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai said Mr Geelani was arrested when he was heading for Poonch district to address a gathering there.

Mr Geelani has since been shifted to Amphalla jail in Jammu, he added.

Mr Sehrai said the breakaway Hurriyat Chairman has been remanded to 15-day police custody. Police had registered a case against him in 2001 for making a ''provocative speech'' in Poonch, he added.

The firebrand separatist leader, who was scheduled to address a congregation at Mandi, Surankote and Mendhar towns, arrived in Jammu on June one on a week-long visit to Rajouri and Poonch districts to put before the people his party's viewpoint regarding the contentious Kashmir issue.

Mr Sehrai claimed that Mr Geelani has been ailing for sometime and his health condition was serious and fast deteriorating.

The breakaway Hurriyat Chairman was earlier arrested in Rajouri district also and not allowed to address any public rally by the state administration.

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