Thaindian News

Srinagar, Aug 11 (IANS) The authorities Thursday imposed restrictions on the movement of senior separatist leaders in the Jammu and Kashmir summer capital to scuttle a gathering at the Eidgah grounds here.

Separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Shabir Shah and Muhammad Nayeem Khan were placed under house arrest in Srinagar city, police here said.

“Restrictions have been imposed on the movement of some separatist leaders to maintain law and order,” as senior police officer told IANS.

The separatists had called for an assembly at the Eidgah grounds in the old city areas of Srinagar to observe the death anniversary of a senior separatist leader, Sheikh Abdul Aziz, killed in a firing incident this day in 2008 in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Aziz and some other separatist leaders were leading a march Aug 11, 2008 to breach the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two parts of Kashmir.

As crowds pushed barricades to cross the LoC, Sheikh Aziz was killed in a mysterious firing incident, the perpetrators of which are yet to be brought to justice though the separatists blame the security forces for it.

The moderate and hardline groups of the Hurriyat conference, however, made it clear Thursday through separate statements that there would be no shutdown and people should go about their routine businesses.

Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed in strength in Srinagar city to prevent any untoward incident.

Businesses, transport and government offices plied normally in all the major cities and towns of the valley and people thronged markets to buy the essentials of life.