Police and security agencies in India-controlled Kashmir have started reviewing the security of separatist leaders in the region to prevent them from falling prey to deadly attacks of suspected militants, a government official said Sunday.
The decision has been taken following an attack on moderate separatist leader Fazul Haq Qureshi on Friday evening in Srinagar, the summer capital of India-controlled Kashmir.
Qureshi was critically injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment in a Srinagar hospital. Doctors attending on him have stated he is in critical condition.
The decision to revive the security of separatists came from region's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah
According to security agencies, Qureshi had declined the security over offered by the local government to him in past. "The government is ready to provide security cover to the separatist leaders who feel threatened," Abdullah said.
Qureshi is the fourth prominent separatist leader in the region to have been targeted by suspected militants.
Other separatist leaders, Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq , who is the father of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Qazi Nissar and Abdul Ghani Lone were killed in attacks.
Police and security agencies believe that Qureshi has been targeted to send a message to moderates to refrain from entering into a dialogue process with New Delhi.
Qureshi was a leader of the moderate faction of Hurriyat that is reportedly engaged in a quite dialogue process with New Delhi to end the
conflict in the region. There is a division of opinion among the separatists over the issue of getting involved in talks with New Delhi.