Separatist Masarat Alam arrested

Buckling under pressure from alliance partner BJP, the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir today arrested separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat in connection with the raising of Pakistani flags during a rally here on Wednesday.

"Bhat has been arrested in the case registered in police station Budgam in connection with the provocative actions during the rally on Wednesday," a senior police officer said.

The 45-year-old hardline separatist leader, who was placed under house arrest late last night, was arrested from his home in Habbakadal area of the city early this morning and taken to police station Shaheed Gunj, the officer said.
 

As he was being led away by police, Bhat said his arrest was nothing new as "Jammu and Kashmir is being ruled on the might of power."

"Raising of Pakistani flags and chanting pro-freedom slogans is nothing new in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been happening since 1947," he said.

The arrest comes hours ahead of Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani's call for a march to Tral area of Pulwama district where two youth were killed in an anti-militancy operation on Monday. While the local residents allege that the duo were killed in fake encounter, the army is maintaining that they were militants and killed in a gunbattle.

Police had registered a case against several separatist leaders including Bhat and Geelani for provocative activities including hoisting of Pakistani flag.