Protests erupted in parts of Kashmir Valley after Friday congregation prayers
IS, Pakistan flags hoisted in Jammu and Kashmir (Photo: DC/File)
SRINAGAR: Protests erupted in parts of Kashmir Valley after Friday congregation prayers during which Pakistan’s national flag was waved at a couple of places. Also, a group of youth wearing bandanas appeared outside Srinagar’s historic Grand Mosque with Islamic State (ISIS) flags in their hands.
The call for protests had been issued by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani against gunning down of Sheikh Altaf-ur-Rehman, an activist of Tehrik-e-Hurriyat, a constituent of his faction of Hurriyat Conference alliance in the town of Sopore by unidentified assailants earlier during the week.
After a protest rally was held and ‘prayers in absentia’ were offered for the deceased peacefully in Sopore, 48-km north-west from here, slogan chanting groups of youth clashed with police and CRPF at a few places in the town.
Police fired teargas canisters and swung bamboo sticks to push the stone-pelting youth back into dark alleys of old part of Sopore, witnesses said. Similar protests and clashes were held in neighbouring township of Palhalan and central Srinagar, reports said adding that over a dozen protesters and almost an equal number of policemen were injured.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s national flag was waved by a group of protesters in Kupwara after police placed separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah under house arrest in Srinagar to prevent him from addressing a ‘pro-freedom’ rally in the frontier town.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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