Srinagar, Feb 14: Police have arrested at least 18 youth from the old city area of Nowhatta and Gojwara during the raids in the past several days.
The residents have been staging protests against the arrests and were demanding removal of the bunkers of the paramilitary CRPF troopers in the area.
Locals said that police arrested youth after massive pro-freedom protests rocked the area. They alleged that on Friday evening when the protests subsided in the area, paramilitary CRPF troopers ran amuck and hurled stones on residential houses smashing their window panes. They alleged that the CRPF men barged into many houses and beat up inmates.
On Saturday the residents of Gojwara and Hawal assembled near Islamia College and shouted anti-police and anti-CRPF slogans. They demanded the removal of the bunkers.
“This is not the case in isolation. Every time there are protests in the area, CRPF men from the near by camp and bunkers damage houses and beat up locals,” they said.
“These camps and bunkers should be removed from the area,” they demanded.
A complete shutdown was observed in the area yesterday in support of the demand. The shops remained closed while protests also disrupted the vehicular traffic.
A Sub-district Police Officer and three para-military troopers were among six persons injured in the clashes on Friday.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST