A general strike was held in Indian administered Kashmir on Tuesday to mark the 51st anniversary of the arrival of Indian troops in the state.

Normal life was paralysed in response to the strike called by the separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference.

Shops were closed in most parts of the valley although traffic was only partially affected.

Kasmiri demonstrators being chased during Tuesday's strike

Police detained four leaders of the Hurriyat Conference Yaseen Malik, Javed Mir, Shahidul Islam and Ghulam Mohammad Hubbi as they tried to march through the Red Square, or Lal Chowk, with other activists .

Earlier another prominent leader Shabir Shah was detained with more than 20 activists in the same place.

The police also used teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

The chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Sayed Ali Shah Geelani, has been under house arrest since Monday.

Activists of a women's organisation Dukhtaran -I Milat hoisted black flags at a few places in Srinagar. Police removed them soon after.