Police on Wednesday foiled a sit-in protest by separatist leaders and their supporters at the historic Ghanta Ghar in city centre here and detained moderate separatist leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and some of their supporters.
In the afternoon, police laid siege to Abi Guzar area in uptown Srinagar and adjoining areas after the Mirwaiz and Malik addressed a joint press conference outside JKLF office and decided to stage the sit-in against the “reign of terror” by troops and the ill treatment to Kashmiri prisoners in jails within and outside the state.
As the Mirwaiz, Malik and their supporters tried to march towards the city centre, police and paramilitary personnel prevented them. When the mob insisted to move ahead, police detained THE Mirwaiz, Malik and dozens of their supporters and bundled them in waiting vehicles.
It was for the first time that the Mirwaiz was arrested in such a way. The separatist leaders and activists were detained in Police Station Kothibagh.
Earlier AT the joint press conference, the Mirwaiz and Malik alleged that Kashmiri prisoners are treated like criminals and sub-standard is provided to them.
The separatist leaders alleged that troops have “let loose a reign of terror” in south Kashmir and Bandipora in north Kashmir, where youth are being arrested, people harassed, humiliated and tortured.
They called for complete shutdown in Kashmir on November 27 against the “miserable plight” of prisoners and against security forces.
They also criticised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for saying that some people were first stoking agitations and later lining up for administrative favours.“This statement proves she has no connect with the ground realities,” they alleged.
Earlier, hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani addressed the gathering over telephone in a local mosque and condemned the continuous harassment of youth and demanded resolution of Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of the people of the state.
