Authorities foil separatist march to UN office in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Authorities Wednesday imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, to thwart protest march of separatists to United Nations (UN) local office, officials said. The march was proposed by region's hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani to protest the recent civilian killings in the restive region. Geelani on Tuesday told media they would submit a memorandum at the UN office, urging UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon to take cognizance of civilian causalities in the region and seek UN intervention. An office of UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) is stationed in Srinagar since 1949. The office was set up to monitor the ceasefire line, now known as LoC, a de facto border that divides Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts. Police and India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force ( CRPF) personnel were seen enforcing restrictions outside the UN office in Srinagar. These men had laid barricades outside the office and closed the roads outside it for the vehicular traffic. Contingents of policemen and CRPF were also deployed outside Geelani's residence to prevent him from taking out the march. The hardliner had urged people including youth to assemble outside his residence before the march. A Hurriyat Conference spokesman told media that Geelani was arrested after he came out of his house and taken to police station. Soon after Geelani's detention, his supporters took to roads, after which police fired tear smoke shells and used batons to disperse them. Officials said the restrictions were imposed to maintain law and order in city.