Kashmiri students case: Clashes during protests, JKLF chief held

Sporadic clashes occurred Friday at some places in the Kashmir Valley over expulsion and police action against Kashmiri students in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut after they allegedly celebrated the Pakistan cricket team's victory over India during an Asia Cup match in Dhaka.

Muhammad Yasin Malik, chairman of pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was arrested by police along with 11 supporters during a protest march here after the Friday prayers.

During the protest which started from the uptown Maisuma area, Malik said that Kashmiri students were being harassed outside the state and this was proof of the fact that unless the Kashmir problem was resolved, Kashmiris would continue to suffer.

Police intercepted the protesters and Malik was arrested and lodged along with his supporters in a local police station.

Clashes occurred between stone-pelting mobs and police in north Kashmir's Baramulla, Ganderbal, Naidkhai, Hajin and south Kashmir's Shopian towns.

"Situation throughout the Valley remained peaceful. However, stray incidents of stone-pelting were reported from Garage Ganderbal, Naidkhai, Hajin, Cement Bridge (Baramulla) and Gagran in Shopian this afternoon. No one was hurt," a senior police officer said here.