VETERAN Kashmiri separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani late on Wednesday (1) passed away at his residence in Srinagar following a prolonged illness. He was 92.
Geelani resigned from politics and Hurriyat last year. His cremation was held on Thursday (2) morning.
In March 2018, the late leader suffered a minor heart attack and was hospitalised.
“Saddened by the news of Geelani sahab’s passing away. We may not have agreed on most things but I respect him for his steadfastness & standing by his beliefs. May Allah Ta'aala grant him jannat & condolences to his family & well wishers,” former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet.
Security was strengthened in Kashmir Valley following Geelani’s death. Sources in the police said restrictions, including suspension of internet services, were imposed in the valley. Security was also beefed up outside Geelani’s house in Hyderpora area. Mobile phone services, excluding the state-run BSNL, were suspended.
Geelani left the Hurriyat, which is a political front to raise the cause of Kashmiri separatism, after an association that lasted 27 years. According to sources in the Indian home ministry that spoke to NDTV news channel, Geelani quit the body after he was sidelined by Pakistan and its army intelligence ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).
He also accused the body of conspiring against him and failing to inspire the separatist movement after the Narendra Modi government scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.
Security personnel inspect the site in the aftermath of an attack as food stall chairs lie empty in Pahalgam, about 90 kilometres (55 miles) from Srinagar on April 23, 2025. Indian security forces in Kashmir carried out a major manhunt on April 23, a day after gunmen opened fire on tourists killing 26 people in the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000. Getty Images
Tourists visit Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, about 112 km south of Srinagar on June 26, 2025.Getty Images
Pilgrims gather at the Baltal Base Camp near Domel, en route to the sacred Amarnath cave in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, on July 29, 2025. The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 3, proceeds under heightened security following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony handler. Security forces have been deployed in large numbers across the pilgrimage route, with checkpoints, surveillance, and restrictions in place to safeguard the thousands of devotees undertaking the arduous journey. The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages, drawing worshippers from across India to the high-altitude Himalayan shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Despite the threat of violence and challenging terrain, pilgrims continue their spiritual trek, determined to complete the sacred journey under the shadow of grief and resilience.Getty Images
