Violence erupts in J&K, Syed Geelani detained

SRINAGAR: One person was killed on Friday when a group of stone pelting youths attacked a mini bus in Batmaloo locality of central Srinagar, police said.

40-year-old Shafiq Ahmad Sheikh, who was travelling from Natipora to Batmaloo, was hit by a stone on the head resulting in serious injuries. He was taken to S K Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, where he succumbed to his wounds, a police spokesman said.

The group indulged in stone pelting to enforce closure of shops in the locality to protest precautionary measures taken by the authorities to prevent a march planned by hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who was put under house arrest.

On February 22, an 11-day-old boy had died after he fell from his mothers arms during an attack on a mini-bus by a group of stone pelting protestors in Baramulla district.

Meanwhile, separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, under house arrest since Thursday, was detained when he tried to defy restrictions to lead a march to the United Nations Military Observers group office.

"Geelani was detained and lodged in police station Humhama on the airport road when he tried to come out of his house at Hyderpora to lead a march to UNMOGIP," a police spokesman said.