SRINAGAR: Yet another Friday erupted into violent protests engulfing the whole Kashmir Valley. As many as 25 people including 14 policemen were wounded in the widespread clashes with police in downtown Nowhatta locality of the capital city.
Indian paramilitary forces opened fire to disperse an agitated slogan-shouting and stone-pelting mob at Nowhatta as youth spilled out of the historic Jamia Mosque after Friday prayers and responded to the Coordination Committee’s call to stage pro-freedom protests.
Thousands of Muslims in the summer capital Srinagar took to the streets after attending weekly Friday prayers. In parts of the main city, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at stone-throwing Kashmiri youths.
“During the clashes some 20 people were hurt, including policemen,” said police officer Pervez Ahmed.
Two separatist leaders, Mohammed Saleem and Farooq Dar, were also arrested in Srinagar, while hard-line separatist Syed Ali Geelani was put back under house arrest, police said.
The protests, however, turned violent after some youth snatched a tear gas gun from two policemen in a lane after beating them up, resulting in police opening fire, injuring three persons, one of them critically. This triggered violent clashes with a strong mob attacking the local police station with rocks.
Police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had a tough time in controlling the situation, and in the process 14 policemen including a deputy commandant of the CRPF suffered injuries.
Police were responding by firing tear gas shells and baton charging the mobs. Eight more persons were injured in the clashes that continued till late last evening. Baring this incident, the protests across the valley remained peaceful with no report of any violence coming in today.
Last Friday, two persons were killed in police firing and two major towns had to be clamped with curfew to control the volatile situation.
Police said massive protests were also held in Baramulla, Shopian, Anantnag, Sopore, Ganderbal and other towns. A procession of lawyers started from the High court complex here and went around the city center, Lal Chowk shouting slogans. In the city center, protests were also held outside the various mosques.
Pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Yasin Malik led a procession from the Maisuma locality near the city center in the afternoon.
