The People's Democratic Party (PDP) said Alam had been arrested under procedure and not due to the pressure reportedly brought on it by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh or Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Moderate Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq accused the army of killing youths after labelling them terrorists. "There is no arrest, no FIR. The government has to put an end to state terrorism," he said.