Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 2: A cop and a woman were injured as stone-throwing clashes raged at various areas of Kashmir today after Friday congregational prayers during which security forces were attacked with petrol bombs.
Hundreds of youth assembled here in Nowhatta area after Friday prayers were over at historic Jama Masjid. Unlike past occasions, there was no deployment of security forces this Friday in Nowhatta and its adjoining areas. Youth, who assembled in main square of Nowhatta, shouted slogans.
The youth later resorted to heavy stone-throwing on security forces near Gunj Baksh Park in Nowhatta. Although the security forces chased these stone-throwers multiple times but the latter repeatedly re-grouped and pelted stones heavily. During clashes, a youth was detained by police. The clashes later spilled over to Saraf Kadal and Rajouri Kadal localities.
A least five petrol bombs were hurled by masked youth towards security forces at Saraf Kadal during intense stone-pelting. However, no one was hurt in these petrol bomb attacks. The clashes in the area continued till evening. Due to clashes, the commercial activities in Saraf Kadal and Rajouri Kadal were severely hit. Additional contingents of police and paramilitary were deployed in several parts of downtown city in the wake of clashes.
Clashes also broke out between youths and security forces in Chota Bazar and Jamia market areas of Sopore town of Baramulla district after Friday prayers. The youth pelted stones on security forces and the latter fired teargas canisters. A Kupwara-bound police vehicle was stoned by youth on Sopore outskirts in which a policeman identified as Fayaz Ahmad (belt number 8687) sustained grievous eye injury. He was removed to hospital for treatment.
An elderly woman identified as Sarwa Begum was injured after a stone hit her leg during clashes at Reshi Bazar area of Anantnag district this afternoon. The woman was injured when dozens of youths after offering Friday prayers were clashing with security forces. The clashes in the area continued for around two hours. Minor clashes also broke out at Vayilo village of Kokernag in Anantnag after Friday prayers.
The situation in restive Pulwama district was by and large peaceful. However, incidents of stone-pelting were reported from couple of places. A police official said that some youth pelted stones on police station Pulwama after Friday prayers. He said that in another incident, some youths pelted stones on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Bellow in Rajpora area of the district. There were, however, no injuries. A stone-pelting incident was also reported from Hyhama village of Kupwara district.
Police today released moderate separatist and chairman of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from his house detention and was allowed to deliver sermon at Jama Masjid here.
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