JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and his 17 supporters were today detained when they tried to take out a protest rally demanding return of mortal remains of Afzal Guru and faction founder Maqbool Bhat from Tihar jail.
Malik and his supporters were detained at Budshah Chowk in the heart of the city as they tried to take out a rally from their headquarters towards nearby Lal Chowk shortly after Friday prayers, official sources said.
Besides Malik, prominent among those detained by police included vice chairman of JKLF Bashir Ahmad Bhat, chairman of his faction of JKLF Javid Ahmad Mir and chairman Muslim Conference Shabir Ahmad Dar.
The call for protest was given by Majlis Mashawarat, a conglomerate of various separatist groups formed in the aftermath of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in Tihar Jail on February 9.
Meanwhile, chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani was taken into custody after he tried to move out of his Hyderpora residence here to offer Friday prayers.
Geelani, who is under house arrest, came out and tried to proceed towards the local mosque but was stopped by police and taken into custody, the sources said.
