KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Clashes broke out in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district after Friday prayers against the ‘continuous’ detention of a couple of teenagers for their alleged involvement in stone-pelting incidents.
A group of youth soon after Friday prayers hurled stones on police station Pulwama. Calling the protest unjustified a police official told CNS that all the youth were released on Friday morning and were handed over to their parents after proper counselling, a claim refuted by locals.
“Some teenagers used to resort to stone-pelting after every Friday prayers near the Muran Chowk. We identified them through video footage and informed their parents who handed them over to the police. After counselling them, they were released and handed over to their parents,” said the police official adding that it has become a routine for some youth to indulge in stone-pelting without any reason in the district.
Meanwhile stone-pelting incidents were reported from many parts of Kashmir Valley including Summer Capital Srinagar.
Eyewitnesses said that as usual group of youth after Friday prayers appeared in Nowhatta and Gojwara chowk carrying Pakistani flags. These masked youth pelted stones on the government forces prompting police to burst tear-smoke shells. The clashes between these youth and government forces continued for hours resulting in the disruption of vehicular movement on the roads.
Despite fervent appeal from the leading cleric Molvi Muhammad Akram Dar in Pulwama district, group of youth attacked police station with stones. Stone-pelting incidents were also reported from Lal Chowk, Reshi Bazar and Mattan Chowk areas of South Kashmir’s Islamabad district. Reports said that unidentified persons threw a mysterious object at a Territorial Army man, who ran for cover and raised an alert, triggering panic in the area. However, an official said that the object was later found to be a black colour rubber bulb attached to a stethoscope.
