JKLF chairman Mohammad Yaseen Malik was on Friday detained along with senior party leaders in Kupwara district of North Kashmir, where he was scheduled to address a public meeting.
Mr. Malik and Front vice president Bashir Ahmad Bhat were taken into preventive custody by police from different parts of Handwara, 80 kms from here.
Mr. Malik was stopped by police at Kraligund when he was on way to the town to address a public meeting.
Police sources Mr. Malik and six others were detained when they tried to break the police cordon and were lodged at police station Chowgal.
They said the JKLF leaders were detained to prevent them from organising the public meeting as police was apprehensive that it might result in disturbance of peace in the area.
However, a JKLF spokesman strongly condemned the police action and said the town was virtually sealed by police since Friday morning to prevent the party leaders from entering the town and address the public.
