Clashes erupted in various areas of Srinagar after contingents of security forces started leaving following end on polling on Thursday evening.
Groups of youth fought pitched battle with security forcesat Sekidafar, Eidgah, Noorbagh, Qamarwari, Nawa Kada and Nowhatta areas.Security forces responded by firing teargas canisters and pellets to dispersethe protestors.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) spokesperson inSrinagar, Sanjay Sharma said that youth resorted to stone pelting at Eidgah andits adjoining areas when security forces were withdrawing from these areas.”Forces exercised maximum restraint and dispersed the protestors by using minimumforce,” he said.
Reports said intermittent clashes were going on in variousparts of Downtown till late evening.
Meanwhile, an official statement issued on late Thursdayevening said “as the polling for Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency wasgoing on today, several incidents of stone pelting on Security forces andpolling staffs were reported.”
“During the election process, security forces cameunder severe stone pelting from miscreants who had congregated at variousplaces. However security forces while dealing with such hostile stone peltingmobs exercised utmost restraint. Consequently, several police and securityforce personnel including two DySsP and several other cops got injured due tostone pelting today,” the statement said.
“In another incident of stone pelting at Hyderpora, onecivilian driver identified as Muhammad Yaseen Dar aged 22 years sustainedcritical injuries in his head. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital and isstated to be critical. Security forces exercised utmost restraint while dealingwith hostile stone pelting mobs and it was due this that the polling processconcluded peacefully today,” it added.
“The administration therefore appeal people tocooperate with the officials in discharging the lawful duty of conducting pollin a peaceful manner and elements involved in such unlawful activities shall bestrictly dealt under law,” the statement added.