Clashes mar Eid celebrations in Kashmir, 17 injured

At least 17 security personnel were injured on Monday when protesting youths clashed with them, soon after the congregational Eid-ul-Adha prayers concluded in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, said the police.

Clashes also broke out at Sopore town in Baramulla district and some parts of the city, marring Eid festivities.

Seventeen police and personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were injured in Anantnag, 50 km from Srinagar, when clashes broke out after the security forces tried to prevent a large group of youths from taking out a protest rally after the congregational Eid-ul-Adha prayers, said the police.

Shouting "pro-freedom" slogans, the agitators threw stones at the security forces, who retaliated with tear smoke cannisters, they said.

At least 12 policemen, including Anantnag Senior Superintendent of Police R K Jalla and Superintendent of Police (Operations) Zahid Malik, and five CRPF personnel were injured in the clashes, said the police.

Several protesters were also injured in the clashes, they said.

In Sopore, people took out a protest march soon after coming out of the Eidgah, said the police.

When the police attempted to intercept the participants of the rally, they started pelting stones at them.

The police fired several tear smoke cannisters to disperse the crowd.

Protests also erupted in the old city in Srinagar as youths clashed with the police at Saraf Kadal locality after Eid prayers.