Clashes in Srinagar; 15 injured

Srinagar, Jun 6: 15 people were injured as the police had fights between the youths who threw stones to protest against an alleged blasphemous depiction of the holy city of Madina on some products. The incident upset the public life in the parts of Srinagar and Baramulla in North Kashmir, on Saturday, Jun 5.

The police fired threatening shots and hurled dozens of teargas shells to disperse the groups as the youths were indulged in stone-throwing at Maisuma, Kokerbazar and Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city. The protests were confined to the Nowhatta area of the old city initially, but spread to the civil lines and Baramulla as the day advanced. This finally resulted in the clashes.

Protesters went round several areas in the city and compelled the shopkeepers to shut down their business.

The police said that the attempt of the 'miscreants' to create tension in the society was a deliberate move to worsen the situation by indulging in blasphemous rumours.

The products were found carrying imprints and sketches of buildings that resembled Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral of London, and other places. But no sketch had any likeness to any Muslim religious place or building, the spokesman said.

OneIndia News