Srinagar: Hurriyat -M chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, who was for the first time since July 9 allowed to offer Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid yesterday, was again put under house arrest in the summer capital, Srinagar today.
Mirwaiz was scheduled to lead a congregation at Khawaja Naqashbandh Sahib shrine in downtown Srinagar, where special prayers called ‘Khwaja Digar’ are offered after Asr prayers (evening prayers) every year today.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik was yesterday detained in Srinagar while Hurriyat -G chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani continued to remain under house arrest.
A spokesperson of Hurriyat-M told UNI that a large number of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police personnel have been deployed outside the Nigeen house of Mirwaiz since this afternoon.
He said Mirwaiz was informed that he has been put under house arrest and he cannot leave his house till further orders.
“Mirwaiz was scheduled to lead a congregation at Khawaja Naqashbandh Sahib shrine in downtown Srinagar,” he said, adding the house arrest restrictions were lifted from the HC chairman yesterday.
Mirwaiz was released from Sub Jail Cheshmashahi after 60-day detention, a day before five-member delegation from New Delhi, led by former union minister and senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, arrived here to meet separatist leaders.
However, he was put under house arrest the same day. Mirwaiz was again detained on October 28, where he defied house arrest restrictions and tried to lead a march towards Jamia masjid to break the “siege” to offer prayers in the historic mosque.
The Hurriyat chairman was released on October 29 and placed under house arrest.
The house arrest restriction on Mirwaiz was lifted on November 8, when separatists held a meeting to discuss the plan of action with various stake holders, including traders. But he was again put under house arrest yesterday to foil Jamia masjid challo called by separatists.
Meanwhile, Geelani remained under house arrest since his arrival from New Delhi in April. He was detained many times in these six months for defying restrictions and stepping out of his house to lead marches to various places though he was released every time after couple of hours.
Malik, who was arrested yesterday after he tried to lead a pro-freedom rally to Lal Chowk, was released on November 15 after remaining lodged in central Jail Srinagar for five days. He was arrested from Maisuma on November 10 to prevent him from leading a march to historic Jamil Masjid, where Friday prayers were offered after 19 weeks on November 25. He was lodged in the Police Station Kothibagh and later shifted to central jail Srinagar in the afternoon on the same day.
Before being arrested on November 10, the JKLF chief was released on October 29 after remaining under detention since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag. Killing of Burhan evoked massive protests during which over 90 people, mostly youths, died in security force and police action in the Valley.
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