KL Report
SRINAGAR
A day after Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani said police has placed him under house arrest and is preventing him from offering Friday prayers, Director General Police K Rajendra Saturday claimed Geelani is not under house arrest and is free to offer prayers anywhere.
“The claim of Geelani that he is under house is wrong. He (Geelani) is free to offer Friday prayers anywhere. He is not under house arrest. We took him under preventive custody only after we receive reports that the situation could be disrupted,” the DGP told KNS over phone.
However, he said, Police has to keep vigil over elements who try to ‘instigate’ violence. “We never stop him (Geelani) when he goes to hospital for the treatment. No authority in the country can prevent anybody from performing his religious duties but Geelani should not instigate the youth for violence or stone pelting. We have to keep the vigil over elements who try to instigate violence,” Rajendra said.
“If they (separatists) disrupt peace in the valley we will have no other choice but to restrict their movements. We cannot allow the atmosphere of peace to vitiate. It is responsibility of police to maintain peace and the police will take all necessary measures to fulfill it,” he added.
Asked that police also stops other separatist leaders from offering Friday prayers the DGP said: “The authorities have no problem if the separatist leaders follow their religious duties in the peaceful manner. But the most unfortunate aspect is that they (separatists) always serve their political interests under the garb of religion.”
On ensuing Amarnath Yatra the DGP said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place at the ground level. “All the security arrangements have been put in place for Amarnath yatra. We have made the forces available, which we needed for Yatra duty”, he said.
