Srinagar, Aug 29: Police on Sunday arrested a senior separatist leader and four others from Baba Demb area of old city, a day after it arrested the Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson, Aasiya Andrabi.
Police said advocate Muhammad Shafi Reshi, the acting president of Democratic Political Movement, a constituent of the Hurriyat Conference (G), was arrested from Baba Demb along with four others. Reshi was a member of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association.
 Pertinently Reshi along with the senior Hurriyat (G) leaders, Masarat Alam and Ghulam Nabi Sumji announced the launch of the “Quit Jammu and Kashmir Movement’ during a press conference on June 25.  
 “We have arrested Reshi along with four other persons. We are ascertaining their identity,” the SSP Srinagar, Aashiq Bukhari said.
 On Friday, police had arrested the Chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Syeda Aasiya Andrabi and her aide, Sofi Fahmeeda during a raid at Zakura. Sources said police has launched a manhunt to arrest Masarat Alam who is evading arrest for the past over two months.
 Since the launch of the ongoing movement authorities have arrested and released many pro-freedom leaders.
 The Chairman of Hurriyat (G) Syed Ali Shah Geelani was arrested on June 12 to prevent him from leading a special prayer meeting at Hazratbal Shrine. On June 24, he was booked under the PSA and lodged at the sub-jail at Chesmashahi. On July 22, he was admitted at the SKIMS Soura after he complained to chest pain. 
 On August 1, the Government offered to release Geelani on parole for a month. However the veteran leader had rejected the offer maintaining that he won’t accept the parole unless the youth who were arrested during the ongoing unrest were released. However a few days later Geelani was discharged from the hospital and took over the mantle of ongoing movement.
 The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik was arrested on June 18 when he launched the Jail Bharo movement to protest the civilian killings in the Valley. Malik was released on June 25 but was again arrested next day when he was on way to Sopur to express sympathy with the families of two youth killed by the troopers. Since then he was lodged in Police Station Kothibagh. However, earlier this month, Malik who is suffering from heart ailment, was referred to New Delhi for specialized treatment. He was finally released on August 26.
 On August 9, Police arrested the acting Chairman of Hurriyat (G) Ghulam Nabi Sumji, who along with the conglomerate’s senior leader, Masarat Alam used to spearhead the ongoing agitation in absence of Geelani. Mirwaiz South Kashmir, Qazi Yasir who was spearheading the protests over the killing of three youth in Islamabad, was arrested on July 8 and booked under the PSA.
 On June 29, the senior Hurriyat Conference (M) leader and Jammu Kashmir National Front chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan, who was detained in Police Station, Tangmarg, was shifted to Sub Jail, Varmul. Since then he is lodged there.
 Others booked under PSA include General Secretary of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Hurriyat (M) leader Zafar Akbar Bhat.
 Besides the president of High Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom and its general secretary GN Shaheen have been booked under PSA and lodged at Jammu jails.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST