Srinagar: Three Hurriyat Conference leaders were taken into custody, as police foiled the separatists plan to march in connection with Martyrs day on Monday.
Piercing tight security arrangements throughout the city to thwart the march, three moderate Hurriyat leaders, president of J-K Liberation Forum Javid Ahmad Mir, leader of Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-led Awami Action Committee, Shahidul Islam and leader of Shabir Shah-led Democratic Freedom Party, Waseem Lone were taken into custody by police as soon as they
appeared at Lal Chowk on Monday morning, official sources said.
Raising pro-freedom slogans, the trio appeared at the Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, around 1100 hrs IST, but police took them to the nearby Kothibagh police station, the sources said.
The Martyrs Day is being observed in the state in memory of 22 Kashmiris, who were martyred here on this day 78 years ago while protesting against the then autocratic rule.
The state government has already ordered a holiday on Monday, July 13 in this connection.
Speaking to PTI, chief spokesman of Hurriyat, Syed Saleem Geelani said, "We will not be cowed down by the restrictions.
We will assemble at the martyr's graveyard at 11 am and later take out a peaceful march to Lal Chowk as per the already announced programme," Chief spokesman of Hurriyat Syed Saleem Geelani told PTI.
"By placing Hurriyat chairman under house arrest on Thursday and making fresh arrests and restricting the movement of other leaders, the government has shown its frustration," he said strongly condemning the action of the State.
He said Hurriyat has already brought to the notice of the concerned authorities about its programme of organising a mammoth gathering at Lal Chowk to pay homage to the martyrs, but they have not responded positively so far.
"We will go ahead with our today's programme of Martyrs Day," he said.
Curfew-like situation prevailed in Srinagar on Monday, as police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in the city to scuttle the separatists plan to march to Lal Chowk planned for the day.
Fearing trouble during the proposed march, authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of the people and city roads have been blocked with razor wire.
Official sources said the step has been taken to maintain law and order. "Government has no objection if people and political parties visit the martyrs graveyard at Naqashband Sahib in interior city, but calling for march to Lal Chowk seems an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere," the sources said.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, who is under house arrest for past five days had given a call 'Lal Chowk chalo'.
Chairman of Peoples Conference and senior executive member of Hurriyat Bilal Gani Lone was taken into custody at Handwara, 80 kilometres from here in Kupwara district, while president of Salvation Movement, Zaffar Akbar Bhat was detained at Lal Nagar on the outskirts of the city on Sunday.
Another prominent Hurriyat leader Ghulam Mohammad Hubbi was also placed under house arrest at his Chrar-e-Sharief residence in Budgam district of Central Kashmir.
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