Srinagar, May 9:  Eight activists of Khawateen Markaz, a constituent of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, were taken into preventive custody on Friday when they held a procession in violation of the prohibitory orders in force in Srinagar, official sources said.

About 50 burqa-clad activists of the Markaz led by their chairperson Zamrooda Habib took out a procession from Abi Guzar area of the city with burning candles in their hands to protest against the alleged "ill treatment" of Kashmiri detainees lodged in jails in and outside the state.

As the protesters reached Regal Chowk, policemen tried to persuade them to disperse but they refused, the sources said.

When they tried to break the police cordon, the policemen bundled eight of them into a vehicle and lodged them in Kothi Bagh police station.

However, the rest of the activists fled from the scene.

Earlier, talking to reporters Zamrooda said the procession was meant to invite the attention of the world bodies towards the plight of Kashmiri detainees lodged in jails in and outside the state and to express solidarity with their families.