Srinagar: Clashes erupted in several parts of Kashmir on Friday.
Reports said that clashes between youth and forces took place in Prichoo and Chaatpora areas of Pulwama town. Locals alleged that forces damaged dozens of vehicles in the area.
SP Pulwama told that minor clashes were reported in Pulwama town after Friday prayers.
In the restive town of Sopore in northern part of Kashmir, clashes erupted between forces and youth outside Jamia Masjid of old town Sopore.
Local correspondent reports termed the clashes intense and said scores of youths were part of the post Friday prayer protests. Police resorted to shelling to quell the protests.
As Friday prayers ended, scores of youth in Maisuma area assembled at Maisuma Chowk after prayers and started raising pro-freedom slogans. They started marching however were stopped by forces triggering clashes. Forces used tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters. Reports of clashes were also reported from Palhallan area of Pattan after Friday prayers. Reports said that protesters tried to march towards the highway but were stopped by heavily deployed forces. The protesters pelted stones on them triggering intense clashes. However, SSP Baramulla Imtiyaz Hussain told Kashmir Life that no clashes took place in Palhallan. “Palhallan is absolutely fine. Nothing happened.”
Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik had called for protests after prayers against the recent Chadoora killings.
Three civilians were killed by forces on Tuesday in central Kashmir’s Chadoora area after hundreds of people held strong protests to help escape a militant from the force’s cordon. The militant was also killed after a daylong gun battle.
