Srinagar, Jul 13 - Normal life in Kashmir was disrupted today due to a strike called by both factions of the Hurriyat Conference even as the separatist leadership was placed under house arrest to prevent them from holding a rally.

Restrictions were placed on movement of people in five police station areas of the old city, including Khanyar and Nowhatta, as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, official sources said.

Most of the shops and other business establishments across Kashmir Valley remained closed due to the strike called by the Hurriyat factions and supported by other separatist groups, the sources said.

They said while public transport remained off the roads, few private cars could be seen plying the roads in the city and other major towns of the Valley.

The Hurriyat Conference factions headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for a strike and march to Martyrs' graveyard at Naqshband Sahib to pay homage to 22 persons killed in firing by Dogra soldiers on this day in 1931.

The separatist leaders were put under house arrest by police since last night, the sources said.

However, Democratic Freedom Party leader Shabir Ahmad Shah forced his way through the posse of police personnel posted outside his Rawalpora residence to stage protest, the sources said.

They said a dozen supporters of Shah accompanied the separatist leader before they were whisked away by police and lodged at police station Saddar.

Chairman of hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani and two of his close aides were also detained by police when they tried to visit the martyrs' graveyard.

A police party stopped Geelani when he came out of his Hyderpora residence here with the intention to visit martyrs' graveyard, a Hurriyat release said.

Geelani, accompanied by Hurriyat spokesman Ayaz Akbar and another associate Rafiq Ahmad, were detained and taken to Humhama police station, the release said. PTI