Yaseen Malik detained, police clash with protesters

Srinagar June 05: JKLF chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik and 16 others were detained on Friday as police fired tear gas shells and used batons to thwart separatists' attempts to stage protests in Srinagar after Friday prayers over the death of two women in Shopian town under mysterious circumstances.
Malik alongwith five activists were detained at Budshah Chowk in the heart of the city after hundreds of people broke the police cordon around his Maisuma residence shortly after the prayers and started marching towards Lal Chowk to protest the last week's incident in Shopian, 52 kms from Srinagar.
Malik was placed under house arrest on May 26 after a youth, injured in teargas shelling, succumbed to injuries sparking violent protests in the city.
The JKLF chairman was taken to an unknown destination by police, official sources said.
Security personnel fired dozens of teargas shells and used batons to chase away the stone-pelting mobs.
Prior to the Friday prayers, Chairperson of Muslim Khawateen Markaz Yasmeen Raja and 10 of her party activists were taken into preventive custody when they tried to stage a demonstration at Lal Chowk, the sources said.
Clashes also broke out at Nowhatta, Rajouri Kadal and adjoining areas in downtown Srinagar and Batmaloo in Central Srinagar shortly after Friday prayers but there was no report of any casualty, the sources said.