Top separatist leaders were placed under house arrest on Friday ahead of their march towards Shopian town in south Kashmir where curfew remained in force for the eight consecutive day following killing of five persons in CRPF firing earlier this month.

A senior police officer said chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and several other leaders of his amalgam were placed under house arrest as a precautionary measure.

The Mirwaiz had called for a march to Shopian town to express solidarity with the people following killing of five youth in two separate incidents of firing allegedly by CRPF personnel on September 7 and September 11.

The officer said chairman of the hardline faction Syed Ali Shah Geelani and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik were also placed under house arrest.

Although curfew was relaxed in Shopian from 4.00 pm onwards Thursday, the restrictions were re-imposed Friday morning as a preventive measure in view of the separatist call for the march, the officer said.

Curfew was first clamped in Shopian district on September 8, following widespread clashes after the killing of four persons in CRPF firing a day earlier.

The prohibitory orders were lifted on September 11, but curfew was re-imposed in the town next day following clashes between the protestors and security forces which led to the killing of another youth, taking the toll to five.

There was no effect of the call for the march on normal life across the Valley, barring Shopian town. Educational institutions, commercial establishments and shops opened as usual while traffic was also plying on all routes.

The officer said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the Valley so far.

Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in strength at all vulnerable places to deal with possible protests, especially after Friday congregational prayers.

Image: Curfew continues in Shopian for the eighth consecutive day

Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com