Kashmiri separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were put under house arrest on Thursday, but were released two hours later, as per television news reports.
While Geelani and Farooq were put under house arrest, Yasin Malik was arrested by the Srinagar police, ANI news agency reported.
The move comes a day after Pakistan invited them to a 'reception party' at the Pakistani embassy in Delhi with Sartaj Aziz, the neighbouring country's national security adviser.
The Hurriyat leaders had accepted the invitation and said they would meet Aziz to discuss their issues. Following their release from detention, the separatists are likely to meet the Pakistani NSA on Sunday.
The move had raised tensions ahead of the NSA-level talks scheduled for 23 and 24 August in New Delhi, given that a similar situation last August had led to India cancelling foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan.
However, this time, India is likely to go ahead with the meet, according to reports.
We don't know why we were in a house arrest and later why they released us: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq pic.twitter.com/9FUsQc08UD
— ANI (@ANI_news) August 20, 2015
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah hit out at current CM Mufti Mohammad Syed following the house arrests.
Shame on Mufti Syed for arresting on demand. He had no business following his masters orders & detaining the Hurriyat leaders like this.
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) August 20, 2015
