Mirwaiz Umer Farooq in house arrest, Yasin Malik moved to jail

Srinagar: Ahead of Friday`s separatist called protest here, authorities on Thursday placed Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq under house arrest and arrested JKLF leader Muhammad Yasin Malik and shifted to jail.

Sources close to the Mirwaiz said he was informed by police that he should not move out of his uptown Nigeen residence as he was under house arrest.

A police party arrived at the uptown Maisuma residence of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief and took him into custody.

A group of his supporters tried to resist Malik`s arrest but were prevented by police from doing so. Malik was taken to the Srinagar Central Jail.

He had been released from the jail two weeks back as he had developed an abscess in his arm.

Senior hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani continues to remain in house arrest inside his uptown Hyderpora residence in the city.

The authorities cracked down on the separatists to prevent their participation in a protest march to the Jamia mosque in Old City Srinagar on Friday.