Several Hurriyat leaders placed under house arrest

The Jammu and Kashmir police placed several Hurriyat leaders under house arrest and imposed restrictions on the movement of people on Monday to foil separatists' plan to take out a march to express solidarity with the family of a teenager killed during a clash between demonstrators and security personnel last week.

Normal life continued to be disrupted in the city for the third consecutive day with markets, banks, educational institutions and semi-government establishments remaining closed and traffic off the roads. Authorities also cancelled examinations scheduled for the day in the valley.

Ahead of the march called by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to Saidakadal in old city, authorities placed under house arrest several Hurriyat leaders, including advisor of Hurriyat, Shahidul Islam, leader of Muslim Khawateen Markaz Zamrooda Habib, President of Salvation Movement Zaffar Akbar Bhat, official sources said.

However, chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat Syeda Asiya Andrabi and Hurriyat leader Pir Saifullah reached Saidakadal along with their supporters and expressed solidarity with the family of 17-year-old Tufail Ahmad Mattoo, the sources said.

Tufail was killed during a clash between stone pelting demonstrators and security personnel in Ghani memorial stadium near Rajourikadal area on Friday.

Apprehending trouble during the march, authorities imposed restrictions on the movement of people in old city to prevent loss of life and damage to property, they said.

Residents of old city areas especially falling under five police stations of Rainawari, Khanyar, Maharajgunj, Nowhatta and Safakadal alleged that curfew has been imposed.

"Curfew has been imposed as police and paramilitary personnel deployed are not allowing people to come out of their houses", Irfan, a resident of Nowhatta, said over phone.

However, THE police refuted the allegations, saying prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code are in force in the city as a precautionary measure.

While people of the city had observed a spontaneous strike over the weekend against the killing of Mattoo, hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference had asked people to march to Saidakadal today to express solidarity with the bereaved family.