Srinagar, May 01: Police today detained senior separatist leader and president of Democratic Freedom Party Shabir Ahmad Shah along with three of his associates in Anantnag district of south Kashmir when he was proceeding for a poll boycott campaign, official sources said. Shah and his three associates were detained at Sangam in Bijbehara area when he was heading towards his home town of Anantnag in connection with poll boycott campaign, the sources said.
Police also took into preventive custody the president of breakaway group of DFP, Syed Saleem Geelani and his five associates from Lethpora village of Pampore in Pulwama district.
Geelani, whose group recently joined Hurriyat Conference headed by Moulana Mohammad Abbass Ansari, was on way to Anantnag when police intercepted him, the sources said.
Prior to his arrest, Geelani criticised Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for not allowing the separatist leadership to meet people.
Bureau Report