SRINAGAR: Restrictions continued to be in force across the Kashmir valley on Friday as a precautionary measure following the death of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
With mobile and internet services shut (barring BSNL postpaid and broadband services), security has been intensified across the sensitive areas of Srinagar and some parts of the Valley to maintain law and order and prevent people from reaching late Geelani's residence at Hyderpora.
The security men have put up concertina wires and armoured vehicles on the roads in some areas to restrict public movement. The roads leading to Geelani’s Hyderpora residence are also being manned by a large posse of security men.
Ninety-two-year-old Geelani, who was under house detention since 2010, died on Wednesday evening. He was suffering from multiple ailments.
His body was given a quiet burial before sunrise at a graveyard near his Hyderpora residence. His family members alleged that police forcibly took away Geelani’s body and buried it without any of the family members attending the funeral procession.
Police, however, denied the charge saying "such baseless reports are part of false propaganda to incite violence".
“Instead police facilitated in bringing the dead body from house to graveyard as there were apprehensions of miscreants taking undue advantage of the situation. The relatives of the deceased participated in the burial,” IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said.
Due to continuous suspension of mobile and internet services, people are facing difficulties in communicating with their families, relatives and friends within and outside Kashmir. The suspension of the internet has badly hit traders, professionals, journalists and students. The online teaching classes of students have also been hit.
The security officials would be reviewing the security situation on Friday evening and are likely to take a call on restoration of mobile and internet services and lifting of restrictions.
Hailing from Sopore in north Kashmir, Geelani had contested and won Assembly polls from Sopore in 1972, 1977 and 1987 before joining separatist politics after eruption of militancy in J&K in 1989.
Known for his hardline ideology and advocating J&K’s accession with Pakistan, Geelani quit his faction of separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference in June last year. He was heading the Hurriyat faction since 2003 after the split of united Hurriyat Conference (a separatist conglomerate) that year.
Geelani, who spearheaded 2008 agitation, 2010 agitation and 2016 agitation in Valley, is survived by two sons – Naeem Geelani and Naseem Geelani.
It is not known who will succeed him.