The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti, an organization of the Valley-based Hindus or Pandits, on Thursday appealed Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the two Hurriyat factions, to save Hindu temples in the Valley, which according to them, are being taken over by non-Kashmiri priests. Sanjay Tikoo, president of the KPSS in a statement accused the non-Kashmiri caretakers of temples of %u201Cclandestinely selling and passing the temple property including land, buildings, shops, and idols for high value in connivance with some people from the community who have migrated from here.%u201D The state government, according to Tikoo, was briefed a number of times about the issue and was requested to protect illegal sale and alienation of temple property against the consideration in favour of prospective buyers. Recently, he said, Police arrested a Kashmiri Pandit priest Suresh Koul alias Mahant Swami Sudharshan Dass %u201Con the behest of some politicians as he was objecting to sale of property of temples. Since then his whereabouts are not known, Tikoo said. %u201CWe fear that he might be eliminated and later police may blame militants for the act.%u201D He said the local priests were being restrained to enter into temple premises in Sarai Bala area of the city. The KPSS president urged the people pro-freedom leadership including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah and others to raise voice against %u201Cthis interference into our religi
