SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir say they have questioned 16 men about Facebook postings that appeared aimed at whipping up protest against Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan territory.

Police say the men are university students who run Facebook pages with illegal messages challenging India's claim to the region.

Officer Shiv Murari Sahai says police warned the men of legal action ''if they persist with their anti-national activities.''

Indian forces largely suppressed a deadly rebellion in the 1990s.

Most anti-Indian sentiment has since been expressed in street protests, though police set up a cyber-security team after anti-India Facebook pages appeared in 2010.