6 women among 20 injured in Kashmir clashes

Srinagar, Nov 10 (UNI) Twenty people, including half a dozen women was injured when security forces burst teargass shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse demonstrators protesting against the arrest of four youths recently.

Hundreds of people, including women, took to the streets at Ganderbal this afternoon demanding the release of four youths arrested by the police for their role in removing the flags of political parties in the town.

As the demonstrators, raising ''pro-freedom slogans,'' refused to disperse police and security forces resorted to lathicharge. Later, they burst teargass shells to disperse them.

Sources said 20 people, including six women were injured in the security forces action.

The town observed a complete shutdown when National Conference president Omar Abdullah filed his nomination papers last week.

Mr Omar, who was defeated by People Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Qazi Mohammad Afzal in 2002, is seeking election from the same constituency this time, while his father, who represented the Ganderbal constituency in 1996, has shifted to Hazarabal constituency.

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