Updated

Srinagar, Apr 17 (IANS): Hardline separatist leader Masrat Alam was shifted again on Friday from Srinagar to Badgam district in Jammu and Kashmir where a police complaint has been lodged against him over hoisting Pakistani flags on April 15.

Alam was placed under house arrest on Thursday night at his Zaindar Mohalla residence in old Srinagar city to prevent him from participating in a separatist rally in Kashmir's Tral town on Friday.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was also placed under house arrest in his upscale Hyderpora residence on Thursday.

Alam was shifted on Friday from his residence to Shaheedgunj police station from where he has been shifted to Humhama police station in Badgam.

Police lodged a first information report (FIR) against Alam on April 15 when he led a separatist rally for Geelani, who reached Srinagar that day after spending over three months in Delhi for treatment.

Youths displayed Pakistani flags and shouted pro-Azadi and pro-Pakistan slogans during the rally.

On March 7, the Jammu and Kashmir government released Alam from preventive detention after more than four years.

He was arrested during the 2010 unrest in the Kashmir Valley. He was accused of inciting youth during the unrest in which at least 112 people were killed in clashes between mobs and security forces.

Earlier Update

Masrat Alam arrested in Srinagar ahead of rally

Apr 17 (Agencies): Separatist leader Masarat Alam, who was put under house arrest ahead of the rally in Tral, has been arrested in Srinagar today, according to TV reports.

A case was filed against Masarat Alam and Syed Ali Shah Geelani by the Jammu and Kashmir police for raising anti-national slogans during a procession in Srinagar on Wednesday.

In the procession, headed by Alam, Pakistan flags were displayed and anti-national slogans were raised.

Details are awaited.

Earlier Report: Apr 16

Mufti denies permission for separatist rally; Geelani, Masarat put under house arrest

Srinagar, Apr 16 (PTI): Hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and separatist leader Masarat Alam were today put under house arrest on the eve of their rally in Tral town of Pulwama district.

"Geelani has been placed under house arrest. A posse of policemen has been deployed outside the chairman's house at Hyderpora as a preventive measure to maintain law and order," a police officer said, adding that similar restriction has been slapped on Alam.

Geelani had called for a march tomorrow to Tral town in South Kashmir where two youths were killed in an anti-militancy operation on Monday.

Police had yesterday filed a case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Geelani and separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat for allegedly raising anti-national slogans during a rally here.

Mufti denies permission for separatist rally; says pro-Pak slogans unacceptable

Coming under attack from all quarters including PDP ally BJP, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today decided to deny permission for a rally by separatists tomorrow even as he said waving of Pakistani flags and raising pro-Pak slogans were "not acceptable" and "will not be tolerated".

Flayed for allowing hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to hold rally in Srinagar yesterday where pro-Pakistan slogans were shouted and Pakistani flags waved, Sayeed asked police to deny permission for a rally which was scheduled to be taken from Srinagar to Tral where a youth was killed allegedly by army while in their custody.

Geelani, against whom police has registered a case, issued a statement late in the evening saying that he would not be cowed down by the state government.

Sayeed was called hours after the rally in Srinagar on Wednesday by Home Minister Rajnath Singh asking him to take "immediate and stringent" action against the law breakers.

The Home Minister today again asserted, "We will not tolerate anyone raising slogans like 'Pakistan zindabad' on Indian soil.

"There can be no compromise on national security. Politics cannot impinge on national security," he told Sayeed.

Pushed on the backfoot, Sayeed tried to defend his decision of giving permission to the rally but made it clear that hoisting of Pakistan flags and raising pro-Pakistan slogans "is not acceptable and will not be tolerated."

"I think authorities have taken note of that. They have taken a video of what has happened. I think law will take its own course, action will be taken.

"As far as the public meeting is concerned, I think it is okay. As I say, democracy is a battle of ideas. They are free to have their own way, speak their own mind but something which is not acceptable (hoisting of Pakistan flag or raising Pakistan slogans) will not be tolerated."

The state Government, in which BJP is an alliance partner, came in for flak over its decision to allow Geelani to hold the rally in Srinagar city which comes after a gap of five years.

During the rally, separatist Masarat Alam, released from jail last month, praised founder of Lashker-e-Taiba terror outfit Hafeez Mohammed Sayeed and asked people to join hands with his outfit.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered an FIR against Geelani, Alam and another separatist leader from Hurriyat Conference under various sections of Ranbir Penal Code and Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act.

Did not wave Pakistan flag, says Masarat Alam

Separatist leader Masarat Alam Bhat today denied waving Pakistani flag at a rally organised to welcome his senior Syed Ali Shah Geelani here, but said it was a representation of the feelings, aspirations and sentiments of the people across Kashmir.

A day after being slapped with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for anti-national activities, the hardline Hurriyat leader came out with clarification saying he did not wave the Pakistani flag and should not be held responsible for that.

"There was a welcome programme for Geelani. Some youth had (Pakistani) flags there. Why should I be held responsible for it?" Bhat, who was released last month after being detained under Public Safety Act for more than four years, said.

"This is a general trend in the state and not one man's doing. To hold one person responsible for it, I do not think is the right thing," he said.

Asked about the FIR against him in connection with yesterday's rally, he said it was nothing new for him.

On Geelani's call for march to Tral tomorrow where two youth were killed in an army operation earlier this week, Bhat said "we will see who all turn up".

"It is not only Indian administration (officials) who have a right to live in Jammu and Kashmir. We are sons of the soil and we have a right to live here. This is our land ...," he added.

After a gap of five years, Jammu and Kashmir Government yesterday allowed hardline separatist leader Geelani to hold a public rally on the outskirts of Srinagar city where his supporters including Alam raised pro-Pakistan slogans and others waved Pakistani flags.