Indian police on Saturday arrested top Kashmiri leader Yaseen Malik from the venue of a hunger strike against a rehabilitation programme for Kashmiri Pandits in the disputed valley.
The arrest came shortly after the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief announced the 30-hour long hunger strike in protest of the proposed establishment of a separate township for Pandits in Kashmir.
“People who are living here have a tradition to live together in joint colonies in villages and towns. From the last 5-6 years more than 5,000 Kashmiri Pandits have come back and are living with Kashmiri Muslims in joint mohallas,” Malik was quoted by Indian media as saying.
“We will not allow separate colonies for Kashmiri Pandits. We want them to stay with other communities,” he said.
Hurriyat leaders oppose separate townships for Kashmiri Pandits and have called for a complete shutdown across the valley over the issue.
The latest developments from the restive region came a day after another Kashmiri leader, Masarat Alam, was arrested for waving the Pakistani flag and chanting pro-Pakistan slogans at a rally where thousands welcomed Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani on his return from New Delhi.
On Friday, at least 14 people were injured when Indian police baton charged protestors in Srinagar rallying against the arrests of Kashmiri leaders.
Earlier, Indian police had also placed several pro-independence leaders, including Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, under house arrest.
Saturday witnessed a complete shutter-down strike in the disputed valley.