Alleging presence of an armed soldier in civvies at his rally in Sopore last week,hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today demanded a probe into it. A thorough probe is needed to unravel the motive behind sending an armed armyman in civvies to the public rally on November 11, he said. Terming the presence of the man as part of a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to eliminate him,the chairman of the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference said he had moved an application before police for registration of a case. "It was the duty of police to question the armed man after he was handed over to them but instead the police released him and filed a case against those who apprehended him at the rally," Geelani said. He said police and army had given conflicting versions about his presence in the rally. Army claimed the man was part of a joint covert team of police and army to check the presence of militants in the rally while police said he had come to record my speech, Geelani said. The soldier was on a mission to "either eliminate me or create panic by firing in the rally",he said. Police said a case had been registered and Geelani's application would form part of the investigations.
