Over 230 held in J&K ahead of PM’s visit

Firebrand MLA Engineer Abdul Rashid was among over 230 arrested in Jammu and Kashmir in the run up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kashmir on November 7. Moderate separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house detention.

Rashid told HT that he was detained in Sopore while on his way to Srinagar on Wednesday.

“Around 6 pm, I was arrested and taken to Handwara police station. I have been in the police station since then,” Rashid said. He said he was being allowed to use the cellphone but not allowed to move out of the police station.

The arrested are suspected to be ‘anti-national’, according to a local news portal.

The hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a Srinagar Million March on the day the Prime Minister is to address a rally in Srinagar. Mirwaiz had called for a joint rally on Friday. He had also supported ‘million march’ call of separatists over the Prime Minister’s visit to Kashmir on November 7.

Separatist leaders, including JKLF chairman Yasin Mallik and some leaders of hardline Hurriyat Conference including Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai and spokesman Ayaz Akbar were arrested on Saturday. Leader of moderate Hurriyat conference Javeed Mir and some other leaders have been under house arrest. Hardline leader of the all women’s group Dukhtarane-Milat was also arrested on Tuesday. While 141 people have been called Hurriyat activists, 96 have been arrested for “being anti national” - these include alleged stone pelters and exmilitants.

The portal Kashmir life claims to have access to official documents which confirm the number till 8 on Wednesday morning.