Police today detained separatist leaders Mohammad Yasin Malik and Masarat Alam Bhat at Awantipora when they were on their way to Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, where two suspected militants were killed in an army operation yesterday.
Malik, who heads the JKlF and Bhat were stopped by police at Awantipora and taken into preventive custody, a police officer said.
He said the leaders and some of their associates were detained in order to prevent flaring up of the situation in Tral area where violent clashes were going on between protesters and security forces.
Hundreds of persons pelted stones on the personnel of law enforcing agencies in Tral area after the funeral of Khalid Muzaffar, who was killed in the army operation in forest area near Buchoo village of Tral.
Security forces fired tear smoke shells and pellet guns to chase away the protesters, resulting in minor injuries to six persons.
The clashes were going on till reports last came in, the officials said.
6 injured in clashes in Pulwama
Srinagar: At least six persons were injured today in clashes with police in Tral area of Pulwama district during protests over the killing of a youth in an army operation even as security forces recovered body of another suspected militant from the scene of the encounter.
Hundreds of local residents had assembled to protest against the killing of Khalid Muzaffar in the army operation yesterday, claiming that he was a civilian. The army has maintained that he was a militant.
Meanwhile, during the search operation in the forest area, the army personnel recovered the body of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Younis Ahmad Ganaie who was killed in the same encounter, police sources said.
As the body was being brought down to Tral town, a group of locals took the body in their possession. Hundreds of persons started pelting stones on the personnel of law enforcing agencies in Tral area after the funeral of Muzaffar.
Security forces fired tear smoke shells and pellet guns to chase away the protesters, resulting in minor injuries to six persons, the officials said.
They said all the six injured were given first aid at a local hospital and discharged.
During the protests, some miscreants have snatched an AK rifle along with a magazine from a CRPF sub-inspector in Tral town, the officials said, adding, clashes were going on till reports last came in.
The protesters have alleged that the youth was not involved in militancy and was killed by the army in a fake encounter. The army, however, has claimed that the slain youth was a militant.
A defence spokesperson, in a statement yesterday, said two AK rifles and other war-like stores were recovered from the possession of the slain youth.
Meanwhile, hardline Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a shutdown in Tral and adjoining areas tomorrow to protest against the killing.
