Kashmir separatist leaders detained, placed under house arrest

Separatists in the Valley had called for a shutdown last week after a teenager was killed during clashes with security forces in Pulwama.

Srinagar, March 13: Jammu and Kashmir authorities placed top separatist leaders under house arrest in Kashmir on Monday to foil a sit-in called to highlight plight of prisoners in the Valley. Senior separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Asiya Andrabi were placed under preventive detention.

While Mirwaiz Umer and Asiya Andrabi were placed under house arrest, Malik was shifted to the Central Jail.

"Adequate deployments of police and Central Reserve Police Force have been made to maintain law and order in the city," police said.

The sit-in called in Maisuma area adjacent to the Lal Chowk was to highlight plight of prisoners in different jails of the state. Separatists in the Valley had called for a shutdown last week after a teenager was killed during clashes with security forces in Pulwama.

IANS