As Jammu and Kashmir government arrested and booked a Imam for leading funeral prayers of a militant commander, the Hurriyat Conference on Thursday described the arrest of the Imam as "humiliating to Muslims in every possible ways."

Jammu and Kashmir Police detained Imam Fayaz Ahmad Rather, who is also the president of Auqaf Committee Bugam Kulgam in south Kashmir under preventive detention law, Public Safety Act, for leading the funeral prayer of Lashker-e-Toiba commander Abu Qasim in October.

"Participation in funeral prayers is the religious obligation of every Muslim and punishing any person for this reflects that the Sang Parivar has gripped the state administration and they are trying to hurt and humiliate the Muslims in every possible ways," Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, said.

"Leading funeral prayers is not anything abnormal. Despite the affiliation of Abu Qasim, Muslim is duty-bound to attend funeral prayers after his death.

In leading his funeral prayers, Fayaz Ahmad did not commit any crime. He cannot be punished for that but by booking him, the government proved that the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir is just a show boy and the policy makers and the police are in direct influence of the RSS," Geelani alleged.

Police detained Rather after a nocturnal raid from his residence. He was shifted to Kathua Jail on Wednesday. Police sources said he has been booked under section 147,148,149,336,307 of RPC.

On October 28, Jammu and Kashmir police and the Army had killed LeT commander Abu Qasim in a brief encounter in the Khandipora village in south Kashmir.