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Hurriyat leaders to meet Jethmalani today

By Shujaat Bukhari

The Hurriyat chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, at his residence on Friday after he was prevented by police from leaving for Delhi. (Right) A policeman guarding Shabir Shah's residence after he decided to launch a `public awareness' campaign against elections. — Photos: Nissar Ahmad

Jammu Sept. 6. The Hurriyat Conference chairman, Abdul Gani Bhat, and the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) president, Shabir Shah, were today put under "house arrest" by the authorities here.

The Director-General of Police, A.K. Suri, however, denied that any of the separatists had been prevented from leaving their houses. "The Hurriyat leaders are free to go wherever they want. They were not interested in going. The Mirwaiz even addressed the Friday congregation,'' Mr. Suri said.

The Mirwaiz later said he spoke to the Kashmir Committee chief and they were meeting him tomorrow. "The meeting has been rescheduled and we are meeting him tomorrow at 7.p.m.''

Prof. Bhat was scheduled to fly to Delhi today along with his three colleagues — Umar Farooq, Sheikh Ali Muhammad and Javid Mir — for holding talks with the Kashmir Committee chief, Ram Jethmalani, while Mr. Shah was meeting his executive for discussions on the anti-poll public "awareness" campaign.

Except for the Hurriyat chairman, none of the four-member team had been detained. The Hurriyat team was to travel to Delhi today for the second round of talks with Mr. Jethmalani. "This morning the police came and asked for me. They told me they have orders not to allow me out today. When I asked why they were doing this, they said they were only carrying out orders'', Mr. Shah said.

He said he was only meeting his executive and not launching an anti-election campaign. "Our awareness campaign should not be linked with elections. We don't believe in using mosques or temples for addressing people. It's only to educate the people about the futility of the exercise," he added.

Militants kill independent candidate

Militants today ambushed the vehicle of an independent candidate killing him and three others on the spot at Handwara in Kupwara today.

Sheikh Abdul Rahman and his two nephews, Nazir Ahmed, Abdul Aziz, and the driver of the vehicle were killed when a group of militants hiding in maize fields directed heavy fire at their vehicle at Wadipora, 80 km north of Srinagar.

Mr. Rahman had been contesting the Assembly elections from Handwara since 1987, but each time lost to the ruling National Conference candidate and State Agriculture Minister, Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan. The security vehicle escorting Mr. Rahman opened fire but the militants escaped. Police and other security forces launched a hunt for the militants.

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