Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government today justified the arrest of hardline separatist leader Masarat Alam and said that Masarat was found to be raising slogans himself in the video footage.
“After examining video footage of the incident It was found that the said individual (Masarat) was involved in leading the crowd to raise anti-national slogans & hoist Pak flags,” the government said.
The government said, “For his seditious activities, Masarat was arrested today in the said FIR and is in police custody, further investigation is in process.”
Masarat Alam was arrested on charges of indulging in anti-national activities today morning.
Yesterday night, Masarat and hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani were put under house arrest in Srinagar's Zaindar area. An FIR against the leaders was regsitred yesterday morning under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
In a rally on Wednesday, which was organised to welcome Geelani on his return to valley after four months, Masarat had praised Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) terror outfit chief Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed and asked people to join hands with his organisation. He had also raised pro-Pakistan slogans and Pakistani national flags were also waved at the rally.
Masarat had planned a rally for today to protest against an encounter in Tral area of Pulwama district. Last week, the security forces had killed an alleged terrorist in a search operation in the area.
