Geelani to remain in Mumbai hospital for few more days

Srinagar, Apr 2 (UNI) Ailing firebrand Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani would continue to remain in the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Mumbai for few more days after doctors refused to discharge him today, his aide said.

Breakaway Hurriyat Conference spokesman Ayaz Akbar said the doctors had earlier indicated that he would be discharged from the hospital this morning in view of the significant improvement in his health condition following the kidney surgery on March 26.

However, he said the doctors after the routine check-up this morning suggested that Mr Geelani should remain in the hospital for few more days till he fully recovered.

Mr Akbar said the breakaway Hurriyat Conference Chairman had got 42 stitches and as such was suffering from acute pain.

''But, overall he has shown considerable improvement,'' he added.

Mr Geelani was admitted to the Tata Memorial Hospital on March 21 after his health condition deteriorated due to kidney malignancy.

The ailing leader was earlier admitted to the Apollo hospital in Delhi where he had been diagnosed of a malignancy in his only kidney. He is also suffering from a heart condition.

At the Apollo hospital, Dr Sameer Kaul had suggested, in his report, that Mr Geelani required urgent surgical attention for treatment of metastasis disease.

A team of medicos, led by Dr Hemant B Tondgaonkar, had performed the kidney surgery on Mr Geelani at the Mumbai hospital.

The ailing leader had also applied for US visa to undergo treatment for kidney malignancy.

However, the US authorities rejected his visa application, saying he had ''consistently failed'' to renounce violence as a means of achieving political goals in Jammu and Kashmir.

UNI