Twelve people, including two girls, were on Thursday in pitched battles between demonstrators protesting ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's execution, and police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas to restore calm.

Chanting anti-US and pro-Saddam slogans, hundreds of people took to the streets in Jamia Masjid area in downtown Srinagar, official sources said.

They turned violent and pelted stones at police who first swung batons to scatter them. But when it proved ineffective, police fired rubber bullets and teargas to bring the situation under control, the sources said.

Twelve people, including two girls, were injured in running battles between protesters and police lasting several hours.

Denouncing Saddam's hanging, groups of youth also staged protest marches in Nowhatta, Gojwara and adjoining areas Thursday morning.

The protestors burnt the effigy of US President George Bush at Gawkadal and Maisuma but later dispersed peacefully.

Shops and business establishments remained shut in trouble-torn areas.

Samajwadi Party workers took out a rally near Lal Chowk in the heart of the city protesting Saddam's hanging.

Over 100 party activists, led by state SP general secretary Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, shouted slogans and set ablaze an effigy of Bush.