SRINAGAR: JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained today while on his way to Jamia Masjid here for a protest march, amid accusations that the police assaulted him.
The police have denied the charge, saying people travelling in Malik's car created a fracas when they were stopped at a check-point at Khanyar.
A police spokesman said Malik was lodged at Kothi Bagh police station.
A Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front spokesman said the march was against the "use of force on students, illegal continuous arrest of leaders by National Investigation Agency and the Kathua rape and murder incident".
He alleged that Malik was assaulted by the police before being taken away.
The police stopped Malik's vehicle near Gousia Hospital in Khanyar and straightaway a police officer started showering the choicest abuses on him, he said.
The JKLF chairman objected to the police officer's 'misbehaviour' and asked him to show some restraint, according to the JKLF version.
"The policemen assaulted JKLF chairman, injured him, and virtually dragged him to police station Khanyar," the spokesman said.
Malik and another JKLF leader Bashir Kashmiri were then shifted to the Kothi Bagh police station, he said.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has condemned the alleged police action.
However, a police spokesman refuted the charge.
The police said a team from Khanyar on routine `naka duty' stopped the car at 12.
10 pm, and asked for the vehicle's registration papers.
Instead of producing them, those in the car created 'obstruction in the lawful duty' of the police, the spokesman said, rebutting allegations of any harassment of the JKLF leader.