Kashmir alliance says leader was abused

The main Kashmiri separatist alliance has said a senior separatist leader, Yasin Malik, has been physically abused by by Indian police.

Mr Malik was arrested last month.

Chairman of the All Party Hurriyat Conference, Abdul Gani Bhat, said police had hit Mr Malik on the head, injuring one of his ears, during what he described as third degree interrogation.

Mr Bhat said the alliance leaders were in physical danger from government hardliners who wanted to sabotage its efforts to organise the election of representatives for talks with India and Pakistan about the Kashmir dispute.

Mr Malik, who heads the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, was arrested after police alleged that a woman had smuggled $100,000 into Kashmir from Pakistan.

The woman told the police that the money was to be delivered to Mr Malik.

Mr Malik denies any knowledge of it.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service