July3@7:20 /AMN
Several people are reported to have been injured in clashes that broke out in Lal Chowk area of Anantnag town in Jammu & Kashmir today against the arrest of hardliner separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani who was scheduled to lead a proposed rally in Anantnag town.
Local eye witnesses said, activists of Geelani led Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Hurriyat (G) organizations, staged demonstrations after the Friday prayers as the news of arrest of Geelani reached the town. Reports said the angry youths pelted stones on police and paramilitary personnel deployed in Lal Chowk and Old town areas in the district which continued for couple of hours.
Earlier, police arrested hardliner separatist leader Geelani along with many activists of his faction of Hurriyat when he tried to defy the house detention orders.
Reports said Geelani was arrested as he tried to come out of his house at Rehmat Abad Hyderpora on Airport Road in Srinagar. Geelani and others were taken to Humhama police station in Budgam district. Additional contingent of police personnel was deployed around the residence of Geelani who is undergoing house detention since several months. State Police Chief K Rajendra had reportedly stated that Geelani is a free man and can go out.
Geelani continues to be under detention since his arrival from New Delhi on April 15 this year barring on three occasions – first when he was allowed to visit family of youth in Narbal Budgam district in April, second time he was allowed to go to Tral to address a rally on May 1.
On June 5 he was allowed to come out when he visited Passport Office in Srinagar for filing his passport application. Earlier, on June 14 authorities did not allow Geelani to conduct a anti-India seminar in which people from different walks of life were scheduled to express their views. Several separatist leaders were invited to the seminar.