Former Hurriyat chairman placed under house arrest in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 28 (UNI) The authorities have placed former moderate Hurriyat Chairman and top Shia cleric Maulana Abbas Ansari under house arrest since last evening to prevent him from leading a procession on the eighth Muharram here today.

He was scheduled to lead a procession from Guru Bazar to Dalgate and address the mourners at the Pratap Park here.

''I have been placed under house since last evening. Let me tell the authorities that the procession would be taken even without me,'' Maulana Ansari, who also heads the Itehad-ul-Muslimeen group, told UNI here from his residence.

He said the procession would start as per schedule at 1300 hrs today. After passing through Shaheed Gunj, Jehangir Chowk, Budshah Chowk and Pratap Park, it will end at Hyder Hall in Dalgate.

UNI