J&K: Clashes between police-protestors turn ugly

Clashes between the police and protestors erupted in north Kashmir's  Baramulla town after the Friday prayers leaving seven cops and eight protestors wounded.

A senior police officer said slogan-shouting youths took to the streets in the Baramulla town and indulged in heavy stone pelting as police intervened to restore order in the town.

Initially, cops tried to disperse the stone-pelters using batons. However, as the protestors shouting anti-government and pro-freedom slogans re-grouped and pelted the local police station, police used tear smoke to disperse them.

The officer said eight protestors and seven policemen were injured in the afternoon clashes.

A 20-year old youth Hilal Ahmad who was hit by a tear smoke shell had to be taken to Srinagar for specialised treatment after initially being treated in the local hospital in Baramulla.

Attending doctors at the Soura medical institute have described his condition as 'out of danger.'

In the adjacent Sopore town, youths indulged in stone pelting on police and paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Force troops who used batons and tear smoke to disperse the stone pelters.