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| Geelani held on day two of his anti-poll campaign | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, MAR 30:Chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani was today taken into preventive custody by police, thwarting his plans to launch an anti-poll campaign from Budgam district.
Geelani, 79, was taken into custody from his Hyderpora residence this afternoon and lodged at Humhama Police Station as police had specific information that he was planning to visit Budgam to kickstart a campaign against upcoming parliamentary elections a day after visiting areas in Pulwama district, official sources said.
After his return from Delhi last week, Geelani has been visiting different places and urging people to boycott the Lok Sabha elections. In the last two days, he called on the families of the militants and civilians killed in different gunbattles and controversial incidents of firing by security forces in north and south Kashmir.
Despite a similar anti-poll campaign by separatists, Jammu and Kashmir had witnessed a record turnout of voters in the Assembly elections late last year.
Condemning the police action as "undemocratic", Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar said Geelani was scheduled to meet the families of prisoners in Budgam district.
"A police party came to his residence this morning and asked him to stay indoors as he has been placed under house arrest," Akbar said adding when Geelani questioned the police action, he was whisked away in a waiting police vehicle.
He demanded immediate release of the separatist leader.
Meanwhile, six activists of People's Freedom League including provincial president Imtiyaz Ahmad Shah were detained by police when they tried to take out a rally.
Shouting pro-freedom slogans, the activists of the league led by Shah assembled at Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, and tried to stage a march to the local office of the United Nations Military Observers Group at Sonawar.
The protesters, who were also carrying playcards demanding immediate release of political prisoners, were stopped by police and asked to disperse.
When they refused, police resorted to baton charge and took six of them including Shah into preventive custody, official sources said adding they were lodged at Maisuma Police Station.
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