J&K: Restrictions in place post Geelani's death to remain on Friday; police assures peace

Separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani died on Wednesday evening at 91. Following Geelani's demise, security and police deployment in the Kashmir valley was amped up to prevent any untoward incident. The Jammu and Kashmir Police also notified that the currently imposed restrictions and internet shutdown would continue even tomorrow (Friday) and a decision would only be made after the situation was reviewed tomorrow.

Peace in the valley after Geelani's death: J&K Police

The Jammu & Kashmir police notified that the situation across the valley remained peaceful & no untoward incident was reported today. The police in a statement added, "Some vested interests and tried to spread baseless rumours about the forcible burial of SAS Geelani by Police. Such baseless reports that are part of false propaganda are refuted by Police." The J&K police added, "As a matter of fact, Police instead facilitated in bringing the dead-body from house to graveyard as there were apprehensions of miscreants taking undue advantage of the situation." The police additionally informed that the relatives of the deceased were also present during the burial scheduled at the wee hours of Thursday and participated in completing the last rites.

The J&K police while clarifying its stand on the matter said that the general public was requested not to pay heed to the rumours being spread by anti-national elements, especially across the border. The J&K police said so because they perceived that these separatist elements who were trying to take undue advantage of the situation had no other agenda than to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the valley.

Geelani dies aged 91

Geelani was born in 1929 in Zoorimunz village in Kashmir's Bandipora district. For years he led an umbrella alliance known as the Hurriyat Conference which served as a Pak proxy, fomenting unrest, peddling separatist sentiments and leading the youth of Kashmir into militancy. He eventually left the Hurriyat just years before his death in a power struggle, alleging that the constituents of the Hurriyat had led a rebellion against him, accusing them of only being interested in gaining political posts in PoK and doing nothing over India's abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Image Credits - PTI