30 women separatists detained in Kashmir

Police yesterday detained dozens of veiled women separatists protesting alongside many more over alleged human rights abuses by troops in Indian Kashmir, officials said.
"We have detained about 30 women for taking out a procession and disrupting normal life," police officer Pervez Ahmed told AFP.
The 30 were among more than 100 Muslim women, all dressed head-to-toe in black, who demonstrated in the heart of summer capital Srinagar, shouting pro-Islamic and pro-freedom slogans.
Kashmir has seen a series of protests since soldiers shot dead a 27-year-old Muslim teacher in northern Kupwara district last week.
The army expressed regret over the death and ordered an inquiry into what it called an "unfortunate incident."
The army arrested one of the soldiers involved but insists the male teacher was killed accidentally after refusing to cooperate at a security check.
Residents, however, said he was killed in cold blood after ignoring army orders not to accompany two women colleagues to their school.
Kashmir is in the grip of an 18-year insurgency against Indian rule that has left thousands dead.