15 injured in tear gas burst in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 5: About 15 people were injured when police burst tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to disperse demonstrators at different places in the summer capital as life remained crippled for the second day today due to strike.

Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to baton charge to diserpse the demonstrators in the civil lines, who were protesting against the attack on Muslims in Jammu region and killing of a youth Asif Mehraj in police action yesterday.

As the vehicles started plying on the routes, a group of youths took to the streets at Maisuma and started pelting stones on the vehicles and police and CRPF personnel deployed there.

Police resorted to baton charge to disperse them even as they regrouped again.

Later, the demonstration spread to other adjoning areas, including Gaw Kadal, Budshah Chowk, Koker Bazar, Red cross road, Ganta Ghar and Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital.

Police had a tought time to control the demonstrators who were pelting stones from different directions on passing vehicles. Police fired doznes of tear gas shells to diserpse them. Reports of similar demonstrations were also received from other areas of the civil lines, uptown and down town areas.

Shops and business establishments in the summer capital and on the outskirts remained closed for the second day.

Yesterday, the bandh call was given by the chairman of the breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) Syed Ali Shah Geelani to protest the alleged attack on Muslims and Kashmiri drivers in Jammu.

Most schools and other educational institutions were functioning normally. However, schools and colleges in the civil line areas remained closed and students could be seen leaving for their homes after the clashes between demonstrators and police.

Traffic movement was also affected due to the clashes. Official sources said that 15 people were injured.

Meanwhile, members of the Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) took out a procession from the lower court complex in protest against the attack on Muslims in Jammu.

Raising slogans against BJP and Shiv Sena, they were demanding immediate arrest of the police personnel responsible for the killing of Asif Mehraj at Maisuma.

The KBA members later dispersed peacefully after marching through different streets.

UNI