All Hurriyat Leaders Arrested, Released Later

Members of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) who were arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police early here yesterday were all released late evening. The move is seen as the first major crackdown by Farooq Abdullahs government against the political patrons of eight year-long militancy in the state. The leaders were arrested outside their party headquarters minutes after they announced plans to stage a dharna on June 27. The rally is the first major separatist gathering planned in Srinagar city after the installation of a popular government in the state.

Sandeep Nayak, the district magistrate of Srinagar, said that the APHC had not approached the competent authority for permission to take out a rally in the state capital.

 

Under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which has been in force in Srinagar city since May 5 this year, an assembly of five or more persons is unlawful, unless permitted by the district magistrate.

Among the arrested was Molvi Omar Farooq, the 23-year-old party chairman. The arrest marked his first encounter with the police since he was installed as the head of the political religious party following the slaying of his father, Molvi Mohammad Farooq, in 1990. Omar had to drop out of a local Christian missionary school where he was studying to take over his fathers mantle.

Others arrested today include the Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader Yasin Malik, Jamait-e-Islamis Ali Geelani, Peoples Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone and Abdul Gani Bhat of Muslim Conference, apart from a number of prominent party activists.

The arrested leaders were taken to Rajbagh Police Station, little way off the APHC headquarters. Police sources indicated that the released leaders might be kept under house arrest to prevent them from creating any law and order problem coming Friday.

The administration on Tuesday seized the partys microphone-fitted vehicles announcing Fridays rally and arrested a number of activists in this connection.