Anti-Israel protests rock Kashmir valley on Id

After offering their Id prayers, pro-Gaza protesters shouting anti-Israel slogans clashed with security forces across Kashmir on Tuesday.

Reports said that angry youths assembled in various parts of the old city here and threw stones on security forces and canisters of tear gas were released in response.

Hundreds of thousands of worshipers had thronged to masjids, prayer grounds and shrines across Kashmir for Id. Violent protests and clashes reportedly broke out at various places after the congregations.

Soon after Tuesday’s prayers, hundreds of youth clashed with security forces inIdgah, where the most number of worshippers had gathered. According to witnesses, pro-Gaza protesters, wielding Palestinian flags, were hurling stones at security forces.

A witness told Deccan Herald that when the protesters moved out of the historic prayer ground, they were intercepted by police and Central Reserve police Force (CRPF) personnel, setting off even more violence in the area.

Teargas shells that were fired in the area created panic, witnesses said. The clashes continued for about half-an-hour and injured at least three youth. Protesters were also reportedly pelting stones at Lal Chowk, the heart of Srinagar, as well as from uptown Hyderpora. Raising anti-Israel slogans, they demanded that the world community take up the issue of Palestine and Kashmir at the United Nations.

Similar clashes took place in district headquarters, towns, and villages of the Kashmir region.  A police spokesman, however, said that barring a few incidents, the day passed off peacefully in the Valley. “Authorities had placed senior separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, under house arrest to maintain peace,” he said.

Keeping in mind the Id atmosphere, police exercised restraint while dispersing protesters, he added. Pertinently, Geelani had called for peaceful protests against the Israeli attacks on Gaza for 30-minutes after the Id congregation.