3 detained for protesting against visit of foreign envoys in Srinagar

Three young men were detained here on Wednesday after they staged a protest against the visit of foreign envoys to Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

They protested against the visit and called it a waste of money while the envoys were enjoying a Shikara ride in the Dal Lake.

A second batch of foreign envoys arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir for a first-hand assessment of the situation in the Union territory.

The envoys of over 20 countries arrived at the Srinagar airport at around 11 am but could not visit Baramulla town in north Kashmir as per schedule due to inclement weather there. They instead went for a Shikara ride.

The envoys are from the European Union, South America and the Gulf countries, officials said.

"The government should stop wasting money on these events. The money saved should be spent on the development of Kashmir," one of the youths said while being whisked away by the police.

They were taken to the nearby police station, the officials said.