Nobody was present in the house when arsonists torched the residence of Nazir Laway in Chawalgam village of Kulgam district in south Kashmir, some 60 km from here.
Police said the incident took place hours after security forces fired pellets at protesters shouting anti-government and pro-freedom slogans in a nearby Katrusoo village. Dozens of protesters were injured in the clash.
Violent protests returned on Wednesday after two days of relative peace in the Kashmir Valley that has been on the boil since the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
At least 72 persons, including two policemen, have been killed in an unending cycle of violent clashes between protesters and security forces since then.