J&K: Protests mar Eid celebrations, 3 cops injured

Violent protests broke out soon after congregational prayers, marring Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations in Srinagar and North Kashmir's Sopore town, injuring three policemen and six civilians on Monday. In Srinagar, protesters set ablaze a police vehicle and also assaulted three policemen including an officer.

To prevent any untoward incident, the police had put all the separatist leadership under house arrest. Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was to lead the Eid prayers at Eidgah in the Old City, was also put under the house arrest. Soon after the prayers ended at Eidgah, hundreds of people gathered outside the Eidgah near Aali mosque and started raising pro-freedom slogans. They were also protesting the detention of Mirwaiz and other separatist leaders on Eid.

At Eidgah, a group of youth stopped a police vehicle and beat up three police men including an officer. Later, the mob set ablaze the vehile. The policemen, however, exercised maximum restraint and did not open fire on the protesters. In parts of the Old City, the protesters also pelted stones on the police and the Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Six protestors also received minor injuries in these protests

Both factions of Hurriyat Conference criticised the government for detaining the Hurriyat leadership on Eid. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that government is creating problems by detaining separatist leaders and is responsible for law and order problems. "The Hurriyat had called for peaceful Eid prayers, but still police detained all the Hurriyat leadership,'' he said.

Meanwhile, in North Kashmir's Sopore town, a big procession was taken out from Eidgah soon after the Eid prayers ended in the town. Raising pro-freedom slogans the protestors started heading towards the main chowk, but the police stopped the protestors. To disperse the stone-pelting mob, the police resorted to lathicharge and also fired tear-smoke shells.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Railway bribery case: Nephew rose from obscurity, worked behind the scenes

For AMU students, wearing sherwani no issue

Polls today, Cong pins hope on BSY

CBI raids top armyman for graft in ration procurement