Srinagar:
Tension prevailed in parts of Srinagar today as shopkeepers observed a bandh against arrest of youths on charges of stone-hurling.
Protesters in Srinagar are clashing with police in Lal Chowk area.Police had to resort to lathi charge and firing in air to control theprotesters.
Shops in Lalchowk and adjoining areas observed a shutdown in response to a call given by a group of youths at Maisuma yesterday. The area has which houses the headquarters of JKLF has witnessed violent protests over the past two days against the arrest of the local youth.
Chanting pro-freedom slogans, the youths in Maisuma and adjoining areas of the city took to the streets demanding release of those arrested in the past few weeks.
Although the shops in uptown area had initially opened they closed later due the tension, police said, adding the situation in the city is tense but under control.
Nearly a dozen of masked youth at Maisuma had warned that protests will continue if the youth arrested during past three weeks were not released.
Meanwhile, reports from north Kashmir's Baramulla town, 55 kms from here, said that all shops and business establishment remained closed today. The town has witnessed clashes for the last three days.
At least 15 people were injured yesterday as fresh clashes broke out between protesters and security forces in different parts of Kashmir valley.
These protests came on the first day of the indefinite bandh called by an unidentified group that claims to be the representatives of stone throwers in Kashmir.
The strike has been called in protest against the recent police crackdown against stone throwers in the valley.