Jamia Masjid chalo , Police detain Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 29-Jul-2016

Police on Friday detained Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani and Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq after they tried to lead a protest march towards Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.The separatist leadership in a joint statement had called for Jamia Masjid chalo march and had appealed people to offer Friday congregations there.However, police detained Geelani and Mirwaiz outside their respective residence and lodged them into preventive custody while JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik who was also scheduled to march towards Jamia Masjid continued to languish in Kothi Bagh police station since July 9.According to a Hurriyat (G) leader, amid pro-freedom slogans, Geelani defied the curfew and stepped out from his Hyderpora residence to lead a protest towards Jamia Masjid. “Police however foiled the march and detained him outside of his residence at Airport road. He was taken into the custody,” he said. Soon after his detention, Hurriyat (M) chairman also defied the curfew at his Nigeen residence and tried to march towards Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.

However, police deployed outside his residence stopped him from marching towards Jamia Masjid. “Mirwaiz was detained outside of his house and was taken into the custody,” Hurriyat (M) leader told KNS.Prior to this, both the leaders were similarly detained after they tried to move towards Anantnag on July 25 and Kulgam on July 27. “The leaders were taken into preventive custody for hours and were later released,” reports said.

Besides foiling leaderships march, Jamia Masjid in Srinagar’s old city continued to remain locked on the third consecutive Friday as the authorities again barred people to offer Friday congregational prayers there.The separatist leadership have been issuing protest programmes from past three weeks and had called for Jamia Masjid Srinagar chalo on this Friday.However, the state administration by imposing strict curfew and restriction across the Valley foiled the march called the leadership.Notably, the leadership started issuing strike programmes in view of the civilian killings that took place during the protests against the killing Hizb commander, Burhan Wani in a ‘gunfight’ on July 8 in Bumdoora village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. (KNS)