Admin foils ‘Dargah Chalo’ march; Geelani, Mirwaiz arrested defying restrictions; No Friday prayers at Dargah Hazratbal

Admin foils ‘Dargah Chalo’ march; Geelani, Mirwaiz arrested defying restrictions; No Friday prayers at Dargah HazratbalHundreds of people on Friday staged a protest at Khanqah-e-Sokhta Nawa Kadal after government forces foiled their attempt to march towards Dargah Hazratbal. Hurriyat (M) leader Masroor Abbas Ansari, who was leading the march, was detained by the forces.

The protesters were heard shouting pro-Pakistan and pro-freedom slogans. The separatist leadership has called for a march to Hazratbal shrine today to protest against the civilian killings.

Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was arrested on Friday after he tried to march towards Hazratbal. The pro-freedom leadership has jointly called for a march to Hazratbal shrine today.

“Police had blocked the entrance of the lane leading to office-cum-residence of Mirwaiz,” said a spokesman. He said that the Mirwaiz started the march from his residence at 2 pm. Mirwaiz, the spokesman added, condemned the police action.

Police on Friday arrested Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani and shifted him to police station Humhama. Police sources said that Geelani had defied detention orders so he was taken into custody.

Hurriyat sources said that as soon as Geelani stepped out to march to Dargah Hazratbal, he was arrested and shifted to Humhama. Separatist leaders had jointly had called for “Dargah Challo” today.

Congregational Friday prayers were not held at Dargah Hazratbal as people couldn’t reach the revered shrine due to a strict curfew imposed by the authorities to prevent a march called by the pro-freedom leadership. The joint leadership had called for ‘Dargah chalo’ today to protest against the civilian killings in the valley.

All routes leading to the shrine were sealed by the authorities to prevent the march. This is for the first time in past six years that Friday prayers were not held at the shrine.

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