Police on Tuesday detained separatist leaders Mohammad Yasin Malik and Masarat Alam Bhat at Awantipora when they were on their way to Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, where two suspected militants were killed in an army operation on Monday.
Malik, who heads the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, and Bhat were stopped by police at Awantipora and taken into preventive custody, a police officer said.
He said the leaders and some of their associates were detained in order to prevent flaring up of the situation in Tral area where violent clashes were going on between protesters and security forces.
At least six persons were injured in clashes with the police during protests over the killing of a youth in an army operation with the locals claiming that the deceased was a civilian and security forces maintaining he was a militant.
Hundreds of persons started pelting stones on the personnel of law enforcing agencies in Tral area after the funeral of Khalid Muzaffar, who was killed allegedly in the army operation in forest area near Buchoo village of Tral, police officials said.
Security forces fired tear smoke shells and pellet guns to chase away the protesters, resulting in minor injuries to six persons, the officials said.
They said all the six injured were given first aid at a local hospital and discharged.
The clashes were going on till reports last came in, the officials said.
The protesters have alleged that the youth was not involved in militancy and was killed by the army in a fake encounter.
The army, however, has claimed that the slain youth was a militant.
A defence spokesperson, in a statement on Monday, said two AK rifles and other war-like stores were recovered from the possession of the slain youth.
Meanwhile, hardliner Hurriyat Conference headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has called for a shutdown in Tral and adjoining areas on Wednesday to protest against the killing.
