18 persons, including 8 policemen, injured in north Kashmir

Baramulla, Mar 15 (UNI) Eighteen persons, including eight police personnel, were injured when police opened fire and burst teargas shells to disperse victims of October 8 quake, blocking the highway in north Kashmir.

Official sources said hundreds of earthquake victims took to streets at Delina, about eight km from here on the Baramulla-Srinagar highway.

The demonstrators, raising anti government slogans, blocked the national highway.

They alleged that authorities had failed to provide them adequate compensation for reconstruction of their houses damaged in the devastating quake.

The victims told UNI that the district administration had only issued them cheques for Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 against Rs 30,000 sanctioned by the government.

Police opened fire and also burst teargas shells to disperse the protestors.

Traffic on the highway was restored about more than four hours.

Sources said ten civilians and eight police personnel, including a Station House Officer (SHO), were injured in the clash.

The injured were admitted to Baramulla hospital. Two of the injured, Basharat Ahmad and Tasaduq Hussain, had received bullet injuries, doctors said.

However, the Deputy Inspector General of Baramulla denied the allegation that police entered the nearby houses and beat up the inmates.

He said police used mild force to ensure free traffic on the highway as the closure of the road badly affected students and employees.

UNI XC/BAS VD BD1716