Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 25: A Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) was among three persons injured in stone throwing clashes as protests raged in parts of Valley against the killings in Rajouri district by Village Defence Committee (VDC) members while the hardline Hurriyat faction has called for a shutdown tomorrow against the killings.
Soon after Friday prayers were over, the separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik and his supporters staged a protest seeking disbanding of VDCs and against Rajouri killings here in Maisuma neighbourhood of city centre. The JKLF condemned the killing of mother-son duo in Budhal and also the killing of a National Conference worker by VDCs.
The demonstrators led by Malik in an attempt to reach Lal Chowk, the commercial hub, marched ahead but were intercepted by policemen deployed additionally. The police detained Malik along with his nearly dozen associates after JKLF supporters resorted to heavy stone-pelting on security forces, the witnesses said.
As the clashes between the two sides ensued, the security forces fired teargas and pepper shells to disperse the mob pelting stones during which a stone hit SDPO Kothi Bagh, DySP Fahad Tak, in his eye and face. The injured officer was immediately rushed to hospital after which he was airlifted to New Delhi for the specialized treatment as the injury was grave, a police officer told Excelsior here this evening.
The clashes against the killings in Rajouri also erupted in Nowhatta and its adjoining neighbourghoods after Friday congregation prayers. Witnesses said dozens of youth assembled outside Jama Masjid in Nowhatta and raised slogans followed by heavy stone-pelting on security forces. During clashes, security forces fired scores of teargas shells and stun grenades to disperse the protesters but failed to contain stone-pelting. The clashes later spread to Rajouri Kadal, Gojwara and Saraf Kadal neighbourhoods. The clashes left two youths injured.
In the meanwhile, suspected militants who were apparently present in the mob of stone-throwers lobbed a grenade at 4.15 pm towards 44 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Bunker at Saraf Kadal where top cops including Superintendent of Police (SP) North City were also present. The grenade, however, didn’t explode and was later defused by security forces.
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