Protests, clashes in Valley areas; two cops injured in grenade attack by militants

Srinagar: Clashes erupted in central Srinagar and Sopore and Pulwama towns of Kashmir Valley after weekly congregational prayers were held in local mosques on Friday.

In a separate incident, two cops were injured when militants tossed a hand grenade towards a police party in Srinagar’s Nowhatta area on Friday evening. The injured were quickly removed to hospital where there condition is stated to be “stable”.

The police and witnessed said that irate crowds of youth attempted to march along the streets of volatile old Srinagar after Friday prayers were held at nearby Grand Mosque. When confronted by J&K police and CRPF which fired teargas canisters to push them back into dark alleys, the youth hurled stones at them. The clashes continued for a couple of hours, disrupting normal life in the neighbourhood.

The Pulwama town in south of the Valley also witnessed similar clashes, leading to closure of shops and other businesses in several areas for rest of the day. Reports said that a large number of youth took out an ‘aazadi’ procession through the town streets and when the security forces came in their way at Murran Chowk they responded by hurling stones at them, triggering clashes.

Protests and clashes were reported also from Sopore town, 48-km northwest of Srinagar. Groups of youth tried to march from local Jamia Masjid, chanting pro-freedom slogans but were stopped by the police on way. Subsequently, the town areas witnessed pitched street battles till sunset, leaving seven persons injured.