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Tariq Bhat
Tariq Bhat

Separatist struggle

Cops derail plan by separatists to mark Self-Determination day

yasin-malik-arrest-pti Yasin Malik in police custody in Srinagar | PTI

The Jammu and Kashmir police have foiled a plan by separatists to commemorate the 'Kashmir Self Determination Day' on January 5 by arresting and detaining senior separatist leaders and some activists.

The UN on January 5, 1949, had accepted the ceasefire in Kashmir from India and Pakistan after the Indian Army forced out tribals from Pakistan who tried to annex Kashmir into Pakistan.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of separatists comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Yasin Malik, and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had planned a day-long seminar at Geelani's residence at Hyderpora in Srinagar on Thursday.

But on Tuesday evening, Farooq was put under house arrest at Nigeen in Srinagar and Malik was arrested from the party office at Abi Guzar near Lal Chowk in Srinagar in the afternoon and removed to Srinagar Central Jail.

A contingent of police was deployed outside Farooq's house and he was asked not to venture out. ''After three days, again put under #HouseArrest!” Farooq wrote on Twitter.

Talking to reporters before his arrest, Malik said, ''Arresting people, placing them under house arrest, clamping curfews and restrictions have become the order of the day.''

''Those who had raised slogans like ‘healing touch’, ‘battle of ideas’ and ‘no bullet but talks’ are actually responsible for choking the scant space left for raising voice against injustices,” Malik said.

Geelani's spokesperson Gulzar Ahmad Gulzar said police arrested several of their activists and senior members in various police stations.

“I and Moulvi Bashir Ahmad were arrested from our homes late on Tuesday evening and lodged in Shergadi police station,” Gulzar said over the phone. “Muhammad Yaseen Attai, Syed Imtiyaz Hyder and Gulzar Ahmad Bhat have been detained in Budgam police station.”

He said the seminar was scheduled on Thursday because it was not possible to hold it on Friday (January 5).

The police have also put under house arrest Geelani's deputy Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai at Bagh-e-Mehtab in Srinagar.

Gulzar said they had invited many people to attend the seminar including lawyers and journalists.

Meanwhile, the JRL has called for a shutdown in Sopore on January 6 to mark the anniversary of the 'Sopore massacre' of January 6, 1993.

''On January 6, 1993, Indian forces killed about 55 people and set Sopore market and adjoining areas on fire. To mark the day, we have unanimously decided to call a general strike on January 6, in Sopore town and organise congregational prayers for martyrs in Jamia Masjid Sopore after Zuhr (afternoon) prayers where people will pray for innocents killed on January 6, 1993,” a statement said quoting JRL. “We appeal to the people of Sopore to observe complete shutdown on January 6 and assemble at the Jamia Masjid, Sopore, after the afternoon prayers,” a JRL statement said.

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