J

Srinagar, Apr 27 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to invoke the Public Safety Act (PSA) against three associates of breakaway Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani for raising anti-India slogans at a controversial rally here on Sunday.

Police yesterday arrested six associates of Mr Geelani, including breakaway Hurriyat Conference acting chairman Ghulam Nabi Sumjhi, minutes before they were to address a news conference here.

Police said Mr Sumjhi, Muslim League chairman Masarat Alam, Democratic Political Movement president Firdous Ahmed Shah, Mohammed Yaseen Attaie, Mehraj-ud-Din Kalwal and Mohammed Shafi Lone were arrested under sections 13 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities Act.

They said a First Information Report (FIR) number 70/2007 had been lodged in the Safa Kadal police station on April 22 against Mr Geelani and others.

Two more associates of Mr Geelani -- JKLF leader Javed Ahmed Mir and breakaway Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar -- are also likely to be arrested under similar charges.

A section of media had reported that militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hizbul Mujahideen were present in the rally organised here on April 22 to accord welcome to Mr Geelani on his return from New Delhi where he was recuperating following his kidney surgery at Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital in Mumbai on March 26.

It was alleged that the flags of the two militant outfits were also raised at the rally.

However, both police and the Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference denied the charges.

However, police had lodged the FIR against Mr Geelani and others under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Act for raising anti- India slogans and launched investigations into the entire episode.

UNI