The Hindu : National : Heavy security for Hurriyat convoy

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Friday, Jun 03, 2005

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National

Heavy security for Hurriyat convoy

Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR: Unprecedented security arrangements were in place for an incident free-journey for a delegation of separatist leaders from here to the Kaman Post, the last point on the Line of Control (LoC) on this side.

A huge procession comprising mostly the followers of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, head of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference, followed the leaders up to Uri and it became difficult for the authorities to ensure foolproof security. Right from the Rajouri Kadal headquarters of the Mirwaiz's Awami Action Committee to the Hurriyat headquarters at Rajbagh, a large number of police and para military forces had been deployed. The Mirwaiz and Bilal Gani Lone travelled in bulletproof cars.

In view of a threatening call to the Mirwaiz late last night the police were taking extra precautions. A high level team of officers was monitoring the movement of the Hurriyat leaders at the Police Control Room.

In Srinagar, traffic was diverted in many areas as the Hurriyat leaders had to pass through the centre of the city. The Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway was sealed off till the convoy crossed a particular point.

On the road from here to the Kaman Post, special bomb disposal squads and mine detecting teams had been pressed into service. The task of sanitising the route was given jointly to Army and para military forces. "There was no untoward incident and the day passed off peacefully" said Deputy Inspector-General of Police H.K. Lohia.

JKLF chairman Yasin Malik left for the Kaman Post without any fanfare. Without any security he left his Maisuma residence three hours before the Hurriyat leaders.

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