Geelani placed under house arrest

SRINAGAR: Chairman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was placed under house arrest on Wednesday morning, official sources said.

Police reached the residence of Geelani at Hyderpora on the Srinagar airport road around 6:30 am and asked him not to move out of the house, the sources said.

No reason was given for the restriction. A Hurriyat spokesman said Geelani was scheduled to proceed to Handwara in Kupwara district to condole the death of school children, who drowned in Wullar lake in Baramulla district
on Tuesday.

Condemning the action, the spokesman said the restrictions imposed on Geelani were "uncalled for" as he merely intended to condole the tragic death of the children.