Separatist leaders detained to foil march to Anantnag

Ehsan Fazili

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 25

Even as curfew and restrictions continued to remain in force for 17th day across the Valley, the authorities have detained separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik to foil their march to Anantnag in south Kashmir on Monday.

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There were reports of protests from a few localities in downtown Srinagar in the afternoon. The police also prevented march to Anantnag from different areas of south Kashmir. The downtown areas of Srinagar and major towns of Anantnag, Pulwama and Awantipora in south Kashmir continued to reel under strict curfew restrictions. Restrictions under Section 144 are in force across the Valley.

These restrictions have been in force following protests and clashes since the killing of the militant commander Burhan Wani in south Kashmir on July 8.  At least 48 people have been killed while several others have been injured in these clashes.

Meanwhile, the state Congress, after staying away from meeting Rajnath Singh, has said the BJP’s attitude towards the trouble-torn J&K has not changed.

A party spokesman said after debating the Kashmir situation in Parliament recently it was expected that an all-party delegation would be sent to the state for an assessment of the situation, “but the BJP’s attitude has neither changed nor will it ever”.