Srinagar: Violence erupts as police halts protest march towards Tral

Violence erupted in Srinagar as police tried to stall protesters, led by Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, marching towards Tral.

As per reports, 14 people were injured in the clashes as the protesters pelted stones and the policeman resorted to a baton charge. Tear gas shells were also fired at the protesters.

"It's very unfortunate that the PDP-led government has surrendered before the BJP. On the issue of AFSPA, we've seen that innocents have been killed, the fake Tral encounter has not addressed so far, there have been no arrests, no detentions, no FIR on this issue," Mirwaiz Farooq told ANI.

"The people of Tral have been protesting for the past three days and its very unfortunate that the government has not given a clear statement on this. We are going to register strong protest today, will demand inquiry in Tral encounter, time has come for AFSPA to go," he added.

Earlier in the day, as a preventive measure to maintain law and order, Alam and Hurriyat hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani had been put under house arrest. Alam was later arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police.

The state government said Alam had been arrested for provocative and seditious activities; an FIR had been filed in the Budgam police station and further investigation was in process.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) also denied that Alam was arrested under pressure from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh or Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

The PDP's alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, sought to assert that it follows a principle of zero-tolerance towards terrorism and separatism.