Geelani arrested from Srinagar residence

SRINAGAR - Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was arrested from his home in this Jammu and Kashmir summer capital Wednesday.

Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, was taken into preventive custody from his Hyderpora residence, a police officer said. He has been shifted to the Humhama police station in central Badgam district.

Geelani, who had Wednesday called for a shutdown across the Kashmir Valley, had Tuesday said in a statement that New Delhi would “repent its decision forever” and be ready to face an “unimagined stir” if it did not accept his five conditions to start a dialogue.

The five points are acceptance of Kashmir as an international dispute, demilitarisation to be supervised by a credible agency, release of political prisoners and youth, withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA) and trial of the “war criminals”, who he said, killed 69 innocent Kashmiris.

The arrest comes two days before the Eid festival.

Geelani had said he would offer the congregational Eid prayers at Hazratbal in Srinagar and also challenged the authorities saying, “No power on earth can prevent me from offering the Eid prayers at Hazratbal.”

The Valley has been reeling under unprecedented violence since June 11; so far, 69 people have died in violent clashes between the security forces and the protesters here.