Hours before the Hurriyat’s planned march to Lal Chowk in the city, the separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq were taken into preventive custody. The incident led to some real ugly tension as the news flew across the air of Srinagar.

According to the official sources, the leaders were picked up from their homes by the police, accompanied by para-military forces.

The section 107 of Ranbir Penal Code has been applied to the leaders’ custody, under which any person who tries to ignite the crowd that may lead to law and order problem can be arrested.

Satwari (Jammu and Kashmir), August 25 : Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Jammu who were trying to block Jammu-Pathankot National Highway on Monday.

The protesters in Satwari blocked the highway as a part of their ''Chakka Jam'' agitation called by Shri Amarnathyatra Sangarsh Samiti (SASS).

Personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF) had to resort to tear gas after the protesters started pelting stones at them.

About eight to ten protesters were injured in the clash.

Srinagar,

Srinagar, Kashmir - Police arrested three Kashmiri separatist leaders in India-administered Kashmir as protestors defied a curfew in the region and clashed with security forces Monday, leaving 22 people injured, officials said.

Two senior leaders of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and moderate Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, were arrested late Sunday night ahead of an anti-India protest march in state capital Srinagar's Lal Chowk area planned for Monday.

Srinagar, Aug 25 : Nearly 24 protesters were injured on Monday as stone pelting mobs defied curfew and fought street battles with security forces in Srinagar and at many places across the Kashmir Valley.

According to reports, defying curfew the protesters tried to march for a sit-in at Lal Chowk this morning. Security forces had to cane-charge, lob tear gas shells and fire several rounds in air to disperse the protesters.

Similar reports of mass defiance of curfew came from Hajan in Bandipora district, Kupwara town, Bijbehara in Anantnag district, Sopore in Baramulla district, Beerwah in Budgam district, Kulgam district town and several places in Srinagar city. Protesters also clashed with police at Digiana on the Jammu-Pathankot highway.

Srinagar/ Jammu, Aug 25: Despite curfew in all the ten districts of the Kashmir Valley, the Hurriyat leaders’ decision to go ahead with today’s Lal Chaowk rally prompted the State Government to place some of its senior leaders under house arrest, while detaining several other second-rung leaders.

With house arrests of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik and arrests of second-rung leaders, the Government has decided to clamp down on mass mobilisation by separatists in the heart of the city.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength to tackle any untoward situation and preventing people’s movements without valid curfew passes.