Five injured in clashes with security personnel in Kashmir

Alleging atrocities by police and paramilitary forces last evening, people clashed with security personnel today in several parts of the city, that left five persons injured.

The clashes were intense in Batmaloo locality of central Srinagar where people took to streets this morning demanding removal of a CRPF picket and indulged in stone-pelting, police said.

All shops and business establishments in the areas remained closed and traffic was also diverted through other routes, they said.

Intense clashes between groups of youth and police were going on at several places in Batmaloo including Diyarwani, New Colony, Banipora, Bazar, Ziyarat, Reka Chowk and SD Colony, police said, adding five persons were injured in the clashes so far.

However, none of the injuries were serious in nature.    

Reinforcements have been rushed to the area to maintain
law and order, they said.

They said police and CRPF personnel fired teargas shells and used batons to disperse the protesters, who were angry over alleged high-handedness of CRPF personnel last evening.

Locals alleged that CRPF personnel manhandled them when a 'pro-freedom' demonstration was taken out yesterday.

Angry people also staged violent protests at Qammerwari chowk, Aalikadal, Maharaj Gunj and Kawdara in interior parts of the city against the smashing of windscreens of vehicles and windows of houses by CRPF personnel while chasing away 'pro-freedom' demonstrators last evening, they said.