Clashes in Kashmir after Id prayers
Violent clashes occurred at Eidgah in Srinagar and Sopore after Id prayers on Wednesday.
Police had to fire smoke shells and resort to lathi charge to disperse the demonstrators, who pelted stones on them and security forces. Six persons were injured in the two incidents.
At Eidgah in Srinagar, thousands of people offered Eid prayers in the morning. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference, addressed them. At the end of the prayers, he appealed them to disperse peacefully and return to their homes. While the people were dispersing, a group of youth held demonstrations.
Stone pelting
They were raising slogans against the alleged human rights violations. Some of them pelted stones on men in uniform, who fired tear gas and smoke shells and resorted to lathi charge to disperse them.
The clashes between the two sides continued for several hours. Reinforcement of police and paramilitary forces was rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.
“We had to use force as the youth turned violent and pelted stones,” said Mohammad Ismail, a police official.
At Sopore, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman, hardline faction of Hurriyat addressed the people.
He had gone into hiding from his house some days back to evade arrest. As the prayers concluded the protestors resorted to stone pelting forcing the cops to lob smoke shells and use cane charge.
In the rest of Kashmir, Id congregations passed off peacefully.
Reports of huge congregations were received from different parts of Kashmir, including Hazratbal shrine and TRC Ground.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah and former chief minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed offered prayers at Syed Mansoor Sahib shrine here.
