The authorities on Saturday detained top separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, and foiled their scheduled 'march' to the National Investigation Agency headquarters in New Delhi "to court arrests", as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrives in Srinagar on his four-day visit.
“People were being mobilised by the separatists for a rally. It would have created a law and order problem in Srinagar. We have put the separatists under detention to maintain peace,” said Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Muneer Khan .
The separatists had offered to court arrests before the NIA “as a mark of protests against the NIA raids on separatist leaders, their supporters and relatives” in the past three months.
Both Mr. Geelani and the Mirwaiz have been put under house arrest. JKLF chief Mr. Malik, who was detained aroud 12:30 a.m., was shifted to Central Jail, Srinagar, till September 11.
“Had they moved normally like passengers go, we would have no problem in allowing them to go wherever they wanted to go. But we cannot allow anyone to disturb law and order and peace,” the IGP Khan.
Rajnath arrives in Srinagar
As Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrives in Srinagar on Saturday, security forces killed a militant in an ongoing operation in north Kashmir's Sopore area.
The militant, according to the police, was killed as security forces laid a siege of Reban village, Sopore, in Baramula district. "Militants opened fire as security forces fired warning shots in the village. One militant has been killed," said a police spokesman.
Internet services were suspended and schools closed in Sopore town “as a precautionary measure”.
