Srinagar: At least a dozen separatist leaders, including JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik, were arrested today as they tried to march towards Lal Chowk here to hoist the party flag on Clock Tower.
"Malik and other leaders including Bilal Gani Lone and Shahidul Islam of (moderate) Hurriyat Conference were arrested as they were marching towards Lal Chowk," a spokesman of the JKLF told PTI.
He said the separatist leaders started the march towards Lal Chowk around noon.
Police intercepted the leaders and took them into custody.
Malik, Lone and several other separatists had gone into hiding over the weekend as they apprehended arrest by police to foil their 'Lal Chowk chalo' march. The JKLF chairman had called for the march to Clock Tower to counter the BJP's plan to hoist the national flag. The state government has made unprecendented security arrangements to foil their plans.