Malik sat on the hunger strike outside his party's headquarters and was joined by dozens of his colleagues, including his deputy Bashir Ahmad Bhat and president of Kashmir Bar Association Nazir Ahmed Ronga.

A large number of people whose kin have gone missing allegedly in the custody of security forces over the years had also joined Malik braving severe cold.

On December five, Malik had said despite assurance of zero tolerance for human rights violations given by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last year, the violations were on the rise in the state.

This is for the second time in this year that the JKLF chairman resorted to hunger strike on the issue of human rights. Earlier in February, Malik alongwith his party colleagues observed a three day hunger strike.

"I have started the hunger strike against the continued human rights violations in the state to invite the attention of the world towards the plight of the people," he said.