April 06, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429

SRINAGAR, April 5: Police fired teargas to break up a protest by stone-throwing demonstrators against alleged prison abuses as a strike paralysed life in occupied Kashmir’s main city on Saturday.

Police claimed more than 100 young protesters hurled rocks at them in downtown Srinagar, shouting “We want freedom” and “Allah is Great,” blocking roads with logs and setting tyres alight.

Most shops, offices, businesses and schools were shut and traffic was light.

“The strike is to highlight the plight of Kashmiri detainees in jails,” said Syed Ali Geelani, who heads the hardline wing of the main separatist alliance All Parties Hurriyat Conference. The strike was backed by local bar association.

Local newspapers have been carrying letters written by prisoners alleging they are being denied proper healthcare and subjected to other mistreatment.

Authorities denied that Kashmiri prisoners were being badly treated.—AFP