Top separatist leaders placed under house arrest in J&K

Authorities on Wednesday placed under house arrest top separatist leaders, including chairman of hardline Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who had called for a march to UN Military Observers Group office here to lodge protest against killing of five youths in Shopian.

The other separatist leaders placed under house arrest included chairman of the moderate Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai and Nayeem Ahmad Khan, police sources said.

Large number of police and paramilitary personnel were deployed outside Geelani's Hyderpora residence to prevent supporters of the Hurriyat Hawk from assembling there, the sources said.

Geelani had asked his supporters to assemble at his residence and later march towards the UN office at Sonawar for submitting a memorandum addressed to Secretary General of the world body Ban Ki-moon about the alleged human rights violations by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, including the recent Shopian killings.

The roads leading to the UN office have also been sealed and traffic diverted through other routes.

Geelani on Monday issued a calendar for agitation for this week which included today's march. He has called for protests after Friday congregational prayers and a general strike on Saturday.