Masrat Alam booked under Public Safety Act

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday booked hardline separatist Masrat Alam under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and shifted him to a jail outside the Valley.

"Yes, PSA warrants were issued against Masrat Alam yesterday (Wednesday) and the warrants were executed today (Thursday). He is being shifted for detention to a jail outside the Valley," a senior police officer told IANS in summer capital Srinagar.

Masrat Alam was released on March 7 by the PDP-BJP coalition government, triggering a huge controversy over the separatist's release who had been arrested during the 2010 summer unrest in the Valley.

The Mufti Muhammad Sayeed led coalition government had said that Alam's period of detention under the PSA had already expired and there had been no fresh grounds for his detention.

As many as 110 people died in violent clashes between the security forces and unruly protesters during 2010 summer unrest.

Officials believed Alam had been the mastermind behind 2010 agitation. He was arrested after announcing a reward of Rs.1 million to anybody divulging information about his whereabouts.

On April 15, youth displayed Pakistan flags and shouted Pro-Pakistan slogans in a separatist rally led Masrat Alam in Srinagar city to welcome Syed Ali Geelani.

Police arrested Alam on April 17 for sedition and waging war against the state.

Alam's lawyer had filed a bail application in the chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in central Badgam district Thursday.

Alam had been remanded into police custody by the CJM for seven days. The period of his remand would end on Saturday.

Sources in the police told IANS that Masrat Alam is being lodged in Kotbalwal jail in Jammu region.