Police arrest top separatist leader, 40 others in Kashmir to halt anti-India protests

Police arrest 41 separatists in Indian Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India — Indian authorities arrested a key separatist leader and 40 other activists Thursday in a bid to quell spiraling protests in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, an official said.

Syed Ali Shah Geelani was arrested for making “provocative statements” and instigating young people to stage violent protests, said Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, a top official in Indian Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar.

Police have also arrested at least 40 other separatist leaders and activists during the past two days, a police officer said on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy. Another separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was placed under house arrest, he said.

Indian Kashmir has witnessed regular protests and shutdowns over the past two weeks after three people were allegedly killed by government forces.

Masarat Alam, another separatist leader, called for a two-day general strike beginning Friday and announced a “quit Kashmir” campaign against Indian rule.

Anti-Indian sentiment runs deep in Kashmir, which is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both.

Separatist politicians and armed militants reject Indian sovereignty in Kashmir and want to carve out a separate state or merge the Himalayan region with Pakistan.

More than 68,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict since it began in 1989.