Geelani's plan to hold convention scuttled by authorities

Authorities today scuttled a plan of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to host a party convention at his residence here, triggering clashes between Hurriyat activists and police.

A large contingent of police was deployed along the Airport Road, blocking the entrance to Geelani's residence at Hyderpora, where he was scheduled to address a party convention, a police official said.

Irked by this, Hurriyat activists assembled at a nearby Mosque and tried to break through the police cordon, the official said.

Police used water cannon, batons and fired a few rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. There were no reports of anyone getting injured in the brief clashes, he added.