Geelani placed under house arrest

Jammu, Dec 21 (UNI) Breakaway Hurriyat Conference leader Syaed Ali Shah Geelani was today put under house arrest here, official sources said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have put restrictions on the activities of Mr Geelani, the chairman of the hard-line group of All Parties Hurriyat Conference, on Id-ul-Azha and placed him under house arrest, the sources told UNI.

The sources said Mr Geelani was slated to address a public gathering after Id prayers in the afternoon at the Jama Masjid, while a large contingent of police swooped on his residence early morning and stopped all the entry and exit points of Mr Geelani's house.

''On earlier occasions also, Mr Geelani has been put under house arrest for delivering provoking anti-national speeches while he was not allowed today to move out of his residence here,'' the sources said.

UNI