Geelani, Omar, Yaseen, still in Kashmir jails

Srinagar, Aug 27: Three senior leaders were among more than 100 separatists, who remained in different jails and police stations in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days.

The separatists including chairmen of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Moulvi Omar Farooq, besides Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik were arrested to prevent them from attending a rally called by Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the present agitation at Lal Chowk on August 25.

However, other senior leaders, including Shabir Ahmad Shah, went underground, while Aga Syed Hassan has been put under house arrest.

Mr Geelani and Mr Omar were arrested at the dead of intervening night of August 24 and 25 from their respective houses along with their supporters.

During the night-long raids across the Valley, security forces and police arrested more than 100 second rank and junior leaders from their houses. Those arrested included spokesman of Geelani Aiyaz Akbar and Islamic Students League chief Shakeel Ahmad Bakshi.

Mr Malik was taken into custody, when he tried to lead a procession to Lal Chowk, which remained sealed from all sides for the past 72 hours.

The CC, an alliance of all the separatist organisations besides others, had appealed to people to reach Lal Chowk on August 25.

UNI