Mirwaiz placed under house arrest, restriction on Geelani continued

Srinagar, Sep 7: Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest early this morning while restrictions on hardline amalgam chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued from last more than a year. Mr Geelani, Mr Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik had yesterday announced to protest and court arrest at the headquarters of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi on September 9 against the arrest and raids by the agency at the residence of Separatists and businessmen in Kashmir. This was announced by Mr Farooq and Mr Malik at a press conference yesterday while Mr Geelani was under house arrest. Security forces and state police personnel were deployed outside Mr Farooq's residence the Nigeen early this morning. He was also informed that he cannot leave the house till further orders, a spokesman said. However, Mr Geelani, who too was to address joint press conference, remained under house arrest and was not allowed to leave his residence. The separatists decided to up the ante after 10 people, including spokespersons of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, two sons and son-in-law of Mr Geelani, were arrested since July by NIA in connection with terror funding in the state. UNI