8 injured in clashes, curfew in old city areas of Srinagar

Srinagar, Oct 26 (PTI) At least eight persons, including
two constables, were injured as security forces used force to
disperse protestors at several places of north India's Kashmir
even as curfew was Tuesday imposed in old city areas of
Srinagar to thwart a separatist march to the Eidgah graveyard
here.
Five persons were injured when security forces allegedly
opened fire to disperse stone-pelting protestors at Muran
Chowk in Pulwama district town, 32 kms from here, this
evening, official sources said.
They said reinforcements have been rushed to the area to
restore law and order.
A police spokesman said security forces exercised utmost
restraint although the miscreants resorted to heavy stone
pelting on their vehicles going to Shopian after dispatching
the body of their colleague.
One of the injured was shifted to Srinagar and his
condition is said to be stable, the spokesman said.
He said two policemen were also injured when protestors
indulged in stone-pelting on a security deployment at Cement
Bridge in Baramulla district town, 55 kms from here, this
afternoon.
A woman was injured when a mob smashed windscreens of two
private vehicles near Gulab Bagh in Zakura area on the
outskirts of Srinagar, the spokesman said.
He said miscreants also tried to disrupt peace by
resorting to stone pelting on security forces at Ompora and
Galwanpora-Hyderpora in Budgam district, Pandach, Soura,
Tangpora, Channapora and Kralipora in Srinagar, Bazipora-Ajas
in Bandipora, Ticker and Magam in Kupwara, Palhallan and
Pattan in Baramulla and Gulshanabad and General Bus Stand in
Anantnag.
Police fired warning shots, burst teargas shells and
used batons at several places to restore law and order, the
sources said adding none was hurt in the clashes.
Barring parts of Srinagar, there was no curfew in any
part of the Valley, the police spokesman said.
"The areas falling under police stations of Nowhatta,
Maharajgunj, Safakadal, Khanyar and Qamarwari police division
have been placed under curfew," the spokesman said.
The hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference had asked
people to march to Eidgah graveyard in Safakadal area to press
for resolution of Kashmir issue and to pay tributes to those
killed in the Valley over the past 20 years.
Elsewhere in Kashmir Valley, normal life was disrupted due
to a strike called by the hardline Hurriyat faction.
Shops, business establishments and private offices
remained closed on account of the strike. Public transport was
off the roads but private vehicles plied as usual.
Kashmir Valley has been in a grip of protests, strikes and
curfew since June when a 17-year-old boy was killed by a tear
smoke shell allegedly fired by police at Rajouri Kadal area of
the city. PTI