SRINAGAR, June 12: Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik was arrested on Thursday after he launched a signature campaign for Kashmiris to be included in proposed talks between India and Pakistan, as 19 people were killed in different incidents in the Valley.

Police arrested Yasin Malik a day after he launched his signature campaign for involving Kashmiris in the proposed talks. Yasin Malik and his colleagues Javed Mir and Noor Mohammed Kalwal were arrested near Kokernag village, a police officer told AFP.

The three were later taken to Anantnag and presented before a judicial magistrate, who remanded them to five days judicial custody.

“They have been arrested for indulging in unlawful activities,” the officer said, adding they had been moved to Srinagar’s central jail.

JKLF’s senior leader Bashir Butt said the three were arrested to prevent them from continuing their campaign, which was launched from the village of Zalangam in Anantnag district on Wednesday.

“Despite the arrests we will continue the signature campaign,” said Mr Butt.

“This (the arrest) should open the eyes of those who say democracy thrives in Kashmir,” said Mr Butt, while condemning the arrests.

The chief minister of occupied Kashmir, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, last week said Mujahideen were free to move and hold rallies.

Meanwhile, Indian troops shot dead four Kashmiris along the Line of Control in the Kalaroos area of Kupwara.

Another four freedom fighters were killed along the international border with Pakistan in R.S. Pora sector overnight, a police spokesman said.

In another incident, the army shot dead five Kashmiri activists during two cordon-and-search operations in Kupwara overnight, the spokesman said.

He identified one of them as Abdul Wahid, a “battalion commander” of Lashkar-i-Taiba.

Two more Mujahideen were killed by the troops in Poonch district in the early hours of Thursday, police said, adding a shepherd, Haji Mitha, and his son Mohammed Ayub had their throats slit by suspected Mujahideen. They died near Bandipora township of Baramulla.

Another two Muslim civilians were killed in Budgam district, one of them in a mine explosion, police said.—AFP