Srinagar: Police arrested Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik in south Kashmir’s Shopian outside the Jamia Masjid after Friday congregational prayers.
Malik reached Jamia Masjid Shopian early Friday morning. He had gone into hiding to evade arrest ahead of the proposed march.
Sources said that government forces sealed the mosque to prevent any protests.
Soon after Malik was detained, clashes broke out after government forces resorted to tear smoke shelling against protesters. The clashes later spread in other parts of the town.
The joint resistance leadership (JRL) had called for Shopian Chalo to protest against the civilian killings.