Dozens hurt in Valley clashes, stone- pelting

◗ Three reporters and a press photographer were also injured while covering the clashes

More than three dozen protesters and a shopkeeper were injured when the police and the CRPF fired dozens of teargas canisters and pellet shot guns to quell stone- pelting mobs at Nowhatta in central Srinagar on Friday. Three reporters and a press photographer were also injured while covering the clashes.

The witnesses said that soon after the Friday congregation at nearby Grand Mosque was over, a huge crowd comprising mainly youth while chanting profreedom slogans attempted to take to the Nowhatta chowk ( square). The J& K police and the CRPF quickly came in their way and started bursting teargas shells to push them back.

The crowd responded by hurling rocks and other missiles at the security personnel, leading to ding- dong street battles which continued for several hours.

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and separatist leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq alleged that heavy deployment outside the historic Jamia Masjid led to tension and that dozens of civilians coming out of the mosque were injured when targeted by the security forces with teargas and pellets. “Large number of people including old and women were unable to come out of the mosque. I condemn the government forces’ brutality.”

The police said that it were the “miscreants” who attacked their men with stones after the Friday namaz resulting into injuries to several policemen.