Three senior separatist leaders along with pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik and their 13 supporters were detained by the state police on Wednesday as they tried to march towards Lal Chowk to hoist the party flag on the clock tower.

Malik had called for a counter march to Lal Chowk against Bharatiya Janata Party's Tiranga Yatra.

The police later shifted Malik and other separatist leaders Bilal Gani Lone and Shahidul Islam of the Moderate Hurriyat Conference and their supporters to a nearby police station.

The separatist leaders had gone underground three days ago to as they apprehended arrest by police to foil their 'Lal Chowk chalo' march. They appeared in the Maisuma locality of Srinagar on Wednesday afternoon and started their march towards Lal Chowk.     

Meanwhile, three more BJP activists were detained by the police from Habbakadal locality of the city while they were trying to march towards the clock tower to hoist the national flag. Earlier seven activists were detained by the police in Srinagar.