The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Srinagar

A prominent Indian Kashmir separatist was hospitalised Thursday after his health deteriorated on the third day of what he says will be an indefinite hunger strike, doctors said.

Yasin Malik has been on a "fast to death" since Tuesday to protest against attacks on Muslims in the Hindu-dominated southern part of Jammu and Kashmir state. Hindu hardliners have also been trying to impose an economic blockade on the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. Tensions flared in June when the state government said it planned to transfer land in the disputed area to Hindu pilgrims, sparking violent protests by Muslims who said the move was aimed at engineering demographic change.However, ministers did a u-turn, leading to demonstrations in the mainly Hindu region of Jammu, where three protesters have been killed since last week. Malik, who heads the pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was shifted to summer capital Srinagar's main hospital after his blood pressure dropped.

"His condition isn't well as he is a heart patient. His blood pressure has dropped as he has stopped taking medicines," physician G.Q. Allaqaband told reporters.

Malik has a pacemaker and has a history of bad health.

Hundreds of Malik supporters chanted "long live Yasin Malik" and "Allah is Great" as he was being shifted to hospital.

On Wednesday Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held talks with Indian politicians to try to defuse the tensions.