Shabir Shah taken into preventive custody

Srinagar, Feb 18 (PTI) Senior separatist leader ShabirAhmad Shah and three of his associates were taken intopreventive custody today as he tried to address a congregationat the Hazratbal shrine.

Shah, an executive member of the moderate faction ofthe Hurriyat Conference, was detained soon after the Fridayprayers ended at Hazratbal, where people had assembled forEid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebrations, a senior police officialsaid.

He said the police action was necessitated as therewas apprehension of breach of peace.

"Shah has been taken to Nishat police station," theofficial added.

Three associates of Shah were also detained.

Meanwhile, thousands of Muslims offered prayers on thelast day of the 10-day Milad celebrations to mark the birthdayof Prophet Muhammad.

State government had made special arrangements forthe occasion, including a large fleet of SRTC buses whichferried around 80,000 devotees to the shrine on the banks ofDal Lake.

Paramedics and doctors were kept on standby to meetany eventuality.