Protests in Kashmir over Saddam's execution

Srinagar, Jan 3 (UNI) Police resorted to baton charge and fired teargas shells to disperse a mob protesting against the execution of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein at many places across the Kashmir valley today.

About 100-200 activists of pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) gathered at the historic Lal Chowk here and started shouting anti-US and anti-Bush slogans. The angry protestors also burnt US President George W Bush in effigy.

As the protestors tried to break the cordon and take out a procession, police stopped them, leading to clashes.

Police then resorted to baton charge and fired teargas shells to disperse the mob.

Outraged at the hanging, hundreds of demonstrators blocked the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for almost four hours at Mujgund in Pattan area of Baramulla district.

A mob of 3000 people gathered near Shalimar Mughal gardens on the city outskirts to protest against the execution.

The protestors were on the roads at both the places for several hours before police dispersed them by using batons and teargas.

Reports of protests were received from some other parts of the Kashmir valley as well.

Complete shutdown was observed in Sumbal and Dangerpora areas.

The 69-year-old fallen strongman of Iraq had been executed by hanging at dawn on December 30.

Earlier on November five, a US-sponsored court in Baghdad had sentenced the deposed Iraqi president to death by hanging after being found guilty of crimes against humanity for his role in the killing of 148 Shi'ite villagers following an assassination attempt on his life in 1982.

UNI