6 hurt in clashes, curfew in four districts of Kashmir Valley

Srinagar, Oct 19 (PTI) At least six persons were
injured in clashes between stone-pelters and law enforcing
agencies in Kashmir valley of north India, where authorities
imposed curfew in four districts to prevent breach of peace in
the wake of the arrest of leader of the hardline faction of
All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Masrat Alam.
The clashes took place in Baramulla district town in
north Kashmir, Shopian district town and Seer Hamdan area of
Anantnag district in south and Parimpora area of Srinagar,
official sources said.
Groups of youth defied curfew and indulged in heavy
pelting at several places in Baramulla town, 55 km from here,
Tuesday afternoon, they said.
Police assisted by Central Reserve Police Force fired
warning shots after teargas shelling and baton charge proved
ineffective to restore law and order, resulting in injuries to
four persons.
One of the injured identified as Mohammad Yousuf, a
resident of old town, was hit by pellets in the thigh and was
referred to Jammu and Kashmir's capital city, Srinagar, for
specialised treatment, they said.
Two persons were injured in stone-pelting and
subsequent security forces action at Gole Chakri in Shopian
district town, 55 km from here, the sources said, adding while
Ghulam Mohammad Bhat was hit by a rubber bullet, a girl was
injured in the face after stone-pelters attacked a private
vehicle carrying a group of students.
Security guards of a leader of the ruling National
Conference party fired several rounds in air to disperse a
group of youth who attacked his vehicle at Seer Hamdan in
Anantnag district. However, none was hurt in the firing, the
sources said.
Minor incidents of stone pelting were also reported
from Parimpora area of Srinagar.
A police spokesman said curfew has been imposed in
parts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla and Kupwara districts
Tuesday morning as a precautionary measure.
Barring Baramulla district, the restrictions were
eased in other curfew-bound areas of the valley in a phased
manner as the day progressed.
Police vehicles fitted with public address system made
rounds of Srinagar city, Ganderbal district town and Kangan
town around dawn to announce imposition of curfew this
morning, hours after the arrest of Alam, a close confidante of
hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
In north Kashmir, Baramulla town, Pattan, Palhalan,
Kunzar, Tangmarg, Kupwara town, Trehgam, Kralpora, Handwara
town, Kulangam and Chotipora have been placed under curfew.
However, curfew was relaxed in Kupwara from 10 am
onwards while in Handwara the restrictions have been eased
from 10 am to 2 pm, he said.
The restrictions were imposed as authorities
apprehended that separatists might try to disturb peace by
instigating violent protests against the arrest of Alam.
The restrictions were lifted from South, West and East
zones of Srinagar city from noon onwards, the spokesman said,
adding the relaxation was later extended to Hazratbal and
north Zones of the city from 5 pm onwards.