Separatist leaders under house arrest ahead of Eid festival

SRINAGAR: A day ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, several top separatist leaders including hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani were today put under house arrest.

A spokesman of Geelani said the Hurriyat hawk was placed under house arrest at Hyderpora this afternoon while another senior leader of the amalgam, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, was confined to his Barzulla residence by police.

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was also placed under house arrest this evening with a posse of policemen guarding his Maisuma residence.

Although senior police officers refused to comment on the matter, sources said the steps were taken to maintain law and order during Eid festival tomorrow.

Violent protests were witnessed on Eid day in 2010 when several separatist leaders led rallies to Lal Chowk.