Srinagar, July 22: Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G), Syed Ali Geelani, appeared at the Hazratbal shrine on the city outskirts here on Sunday, taking people and policemen by surprise.
 Witnesses said Geelani was spotted at the shrine immediately after the Zuhar (afternoon) prayers commenced. “When people finished prayers, we saw Geelani Sahib in the compound. He led afternoon prayers there as the main prayers had already been completed,” they said.
 Geelani, the witnesses said, drew huge crowd which raised pro-freedom slogans. “Hundreds of people shook hands with him and hugged him,” said Ghulam Qadir, a witness to Geelani’s presence there. “Hundreds of people followed him (Geelani Sahib) with Azadi slogans.”
 Surprisingly, Geelani seemed to have given a big slip to policemen who were seen looking for him in the compound. “Till people raised Azadi slogans and cluttered around him, not a single policemen knew about his presence. They (cops) came only after pro-freedom slogans reverberated in the shrine premises,” Qadir said.
 Geelani was accompanied by Peer Saifullah, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Ayaz Akbar.
 While Geelani didn’t make a speech there the cops however turned panicky. “Geelani Sahib left the place without making a speech, despite the request by youth to him to say something,” the witnesses said.
 Later Geelani led the funeral prayers of noted IT professional of the state and Director Information Technology and support systems KU, Er (Dr) Mehraj-ud-din at Habak.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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