Malik, others detained, violent clashes in Maisuma

Srinagar: Violent clashes erupted in Maisuma following Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chief, Yasin Malik’s arrest during a demonstration in the area on Thursday.A JKLF spokesman said that Malik along with several people including some local shopkeepers took out a protest demonstration against “the fresh wave of arrests and detention launched by police.”“However, a heavy contingent of police and CRPF at Budshah Chowk broke up the peaceful demonstration with brute force, using tear gas and cane charge. Several people including Advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat and Yasin Malik were injured in the forces’ assault,” the spokesman said, adding that police took Malik along with senior JKLF leader Shakeel Baskshi into custody in an injured condition.However, a police spokesman said that Malik was arrested after he and his associates “intimidated and attacked” policemen at the Maisuma police station besides ransacking some items of the office.The spokesman said that a complaint was lodged by Ishfaq Hussain Shah son of Peer Hussain Shah resident of Karnah, a Tavera driver, at police station Maisuma that he was attacked by some unidentified person. The complainant who was injured also alleged that he was beaten and some cash was also snatched from him. Accordingly a case FIR 23/11 under section 392/RPC was registered in police station Maisuma, the spokesman said.“The police started its investigation and during the investigation the complainant identified the one Aashiq Hussain Dar as the assailant. On this identification police arrested Aashiq Hussain Dar son of Mohammad Ramzan Dar resident of Maisuma. Yasin Malik and his associates went inside the police station Maisuma and intimidated and attacked policemen. He along with his associates disturbed the peace in the area. They indulged in disruption of the movement of traffic on the road in the Budshah Chowk,” he said, adding that a case FIR no. 24/11 has been registered Malik “along with an associate has been arrested.”