Separatist leaders detained ahead of Wani death anniversary

Srinagar: Authorities on Friday placed two senior separatist leaders under detention in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of a separatist-called shutdown on July 8, the second death anniversary of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.

While Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest at his Nigeen residence, JKLF leader Yasin Malik was taken into preventive custody and shifted to a police station.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer and Yasin Malik have called for a shutdown in the Kashmir Valley on Sunday.

Wani was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Anantnag on July 8, 2016. Unrest that followed in the valley led to the death of over 90 civilian protesters and left more than 4,000 injured.

Over 100 of the injured lost their vision either permanently or partially as security forces fired pellet gunshots.

IANS