Mehbooba under house arrest

People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and top Hurriyat leaders were placed under house arrest on Sunday following the death of a person due to alleged police atrocities.

The PDP chief was interned when she started for Sopore, 55 km north of Srinagar, to express solidarity with the family of Nazim Rashid, who was allegedly tortured to death in police custody on Saturday night.

The police cordoned off her house and locked the door from outside.

PDP leaders Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari have condemned the “undemocratic action” of the government in preventing her "from discharging her public and humanitarian duty".

"This was the ultimate level to which a government that claims to be democratic can go in hiding its atrocities on defenceless people," they said in a statement. They reiterated the party's commitment to fight for the human rights of every citizen of the state.

The police also put under house arrest several separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

"(Moderate) Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was put under house arrest at 11.00 am," a spokesman of the Hurriyat said.

Geelani said: "I was allowed only to take part in a seminar on Saturday and have been under house arrest since then."

Police officials refused to comment on the restrictions on the movements of the separatist leaders.

With inputs from PTI

First Published: Jul 31, 2011 21:31 IST