JKLF chief Yasin Malik detained in Srinagar ahead of Thursday`s shutdown

The arrests come on the eve of a joint shutdown called by the pro-freedom leaders including Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Malik and Mirwaiz.

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday detained Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chief Yasin Malik from his office in Srinagar to prevent him from attending a separatist' meeting over government plans to set up colony for ex-servicement in the state.

The JKLF chief was arrested from his party`s Abi Guzar area office adjacent to the city centre Lal Chowk.

"He has been taken into preventive custody and lodged in Kothibagh police station to maintain law and order in the city," a senior police officer told IANS in Srinagar.

Earlier in the day, Hurriyat (M) chiarman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest.

Mirwaiz Umer was scheduled to attend a separatist called meeting to discuss the strategy for what the separatists call "resisting the government plans to form a Sainik (Ex-servicemen) colony in Kashmir".

Separatists have also called for a protest shutdown on Thursday and on post Friday prayer protests to register protest against alleged moves of the central and the state government to allot land to ex-servicemen for setting up Sainik and Pandit colonies in the Valley.