Curfew continues in Sringar, 2 hurt in protests

Two youths were injured as police fired teargas shells to disperse protestors at several places in Sringar, where curfew remained in force in seven police station areas on Thursday in view of a strike called by separatists.

Police said two youths identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Soura, and Zahoor Ahmed, a resident of Kupwara, were injured as police fired tear gas shells and resorted to lathicharge to quell a stone-pelting mob at Anchar and Soura in old city.

The injured have been shifted to a hospital where their condition is reported to be stable, they said.

Soura locality was tense as a teenaged boy, injured during clashes on August 23, succumbed to his wounds in a local hospital triggering fresh protests resulting in injuries to six persons on Wednesday.

Police said residents of the area defied restrictions imposed on the movement of the people and came on main chowk in Soura to stage a demonstration. When they were asked to disperse by police, they threw stones on them prompting police to fire teargas shells.

Clashes between the protestors and law enforcing agencies were also reported from Umarabad in Zainakote, Barzallah, Natipora and Rambagh localities of the city but there were no casualties, police said.

Curfew remained clamped in parts of Srinagar

besides restrictions in Bijbehara, Anantnag and Budgam towns in view of protests and a strike called by the separatists across the Kashmir Valley.

District Magistrate, Srinagar, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said that areas under the jurisdiction of police stations of Bemina, Qamarwari, Nowhatta, Khanyar, M R Gunj, Safakadal and Maisuma remained under curfew.

In addition, restrictions have been imposed on the movement of people in areas falling under police station Batamaloo, Abi Guzar area of Kothibagh Police station and police station Soura.

The law enforcing agencies have been advised to allow the movement of government employees after showing their departmental identity cards.

The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, spearheading the ongoing agitation, has called for a complete shutdown and sit-in protests across the Valley.

Shops, educational institutions, banks and private offices remained closed and transport was off the roads.

Police said situation in rest of the valley remained largely peaceful.

The Valley was rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a teargas shell near Rajouri Kadal area of old city. After that, street protests broke out in the Valley, which has claimed 64 lives so far.