SRINAGAR; 20, Aug 2012: In a major crackdown on the pro-freedom camp, police has placed several leaders including chairmen of parallel Hurriyat Conference factions, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik, under house arrest apparently to prevent them from offering Eid-ul-Fitr prayers.
While Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest Saturday, Geelani remains under house arrest since Friday when he tried to defy restrictions to offer prayers but was held outside his house and detained briefly at the Humhama police station.
“Soon after he was released from the police station, a heavy contingent of police was placed outside the Hurriyat leader’s residence on Friday evening and since then he continues to be under house arrest,” spokesman of the Geelani-led Hurriyat, Ayaz Akbar told.
Geelani had announced to offer Eid prayers at Dargah Hazratbal while Mirwaiz was scheduled to lead the prayers at Eidgah ground in old city.
“It has become a norm now for the National Conference to use state machinery to curb the political, social and even religious rights of Geelani Sahib and other pro-freedom leaders,” Akbar added.
Mirwaiz’s private secretary and Awami Action Committee leader Shams –ur-Rehman termed the restrictions on the pro-freedom leaders as a “brazen interference in religious affairs.”
Police also placed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik, under house arrest this morning.
A heavy contingent of police arrived at Malik’s house-cum-party headquarters at Maisuma Sunday morning and ordered him not to leave for anywhere as he was under house arrest, a statement by JKLF said, terming the police action as “undemocratic and open interference in religious affairs of a person.”
The spokesman said that for the past ten years Malik has been offering Eid prayers at TRC grounds.
Senior Hurriyat leader and chairman Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Shabir Ahmad Shah was also under house arrest since Saturday night, a spokesman of DFP said.
Shah had on Saturday met Kashmiri Pandit families at the migrant camp in Vessu, Qazigund. “But as soon as he returned home in the evening, the police placed him under house arrest,” the spokesman said.
Besides these other leaders were also put under house arrest, these include; Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai (Senior leader TeH), Nayeem Ahmad Khan (Leader PDF), Zafar Akbar Bhat , Mohammad Yousuf Falahi, Shakeel Ahmad (District President TeH Shopian), Mohiuddin Andrabi (District President TeH Pulwama, Shakeel Ahmad (District secretary TeH), Shah Wali Mohammad from Sopore, Mohammad Ashraf Laya from Srinagar, Mohammad Ayoub Pulwama

Pic from Geelani's Residence in Hyderpora when he was coming out from his residence to offer Friday prayers