Separatists plan to march to UN office foiled by armed forces

Authorities today foiled separatists' plans to take out a march to the local UN office against alleged human rights violations by nabbing some leaders and earlier placing others under house arrest.

Policemen and armed forces deployed in large numbers patrolled the streets and did not allow people to move since morning.

Police said the restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

The Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had recently announced that the separatists would register a protest with
the UN military observers group for India and Pakistan here
against "unabated human rights violations and the decision to
confer Padma award to a counter-insurgent G M Mir."
  
While Mirwaiz was placed under house arrest on Thursday along with his close aide Shahid-ul Islam, senior executive members Shabir Ahmad Shah and Nayeem Ahmad Khan were arrested
under Public Safety Act.

Other prominent executive members Bilal Ghani Lone and Aga Syed Hassan Alsafvi Almosvi have been placed under house
arrest since Saturday.

As a result of imposition of restrictions, government offices, banks, courts, private offices besides shops and business markets remained closed and transport was off the roads paralysing life for the eighth consecutive day today.

16-year-old Zahid Farooq Shah was allegedly shot dead by CRPF on Friday.

The killing of the boy came at a time when the valley was on the boil since last Sunday following the death of 13-year-old Wamik Farooq in teargas shelling by police.