Former Hurriyat chief Abdul Gani Bhat dead

Former Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat died at his Sopore residence in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday at the age of 90, his family said.

Bhat, who was largely confined to his residence at Sopore in Baramulla district due to ill health over the past few years, breathed his last this evening, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said.

"I just received a call from Bhat Sahib's son confirming the sad news about the demise of the veteran leader," the Mirwaiz told PTI.

Born in 1935, Bhat graduated from Sri Pratap College in Srinagar in Persian studies. He went on to obtain post graduate degrees in Persian and a Law degree from Aligarh Muslim University.

Bhat is likely to be buried in his ancestral graveyard in Sopore, sources close to the family said.