More than a dozen civilians and policemen were wounded after protests erupted in parts of Srinagar and south Kashmir’s Anantnag town amid festivities of Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday.
A separatist group had called for restricted protests after special Eid prayers but the protests turned violent at several places while green and Islamic State (ISIS) flags were waved by masked protesters in old Srinagar.
The authorities put most of the separatist leaders under house arrest. Moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was disallowed to lead Eid prayers at Eidgah where one of the two biggest congregations in the Valley was held.
Reports said that shortly after the culmination of special Eid prayers, hundreds of angry youngsters held protest demonstrations in old Srinagar. They clashed with police and resorted to stone-pelting. The police and paramilitaries retaliated with tear smoke shells. The street battles continued for several hours. Reprots said that in some downtown pockets, the masked protesters exhibited green flags resembling Pakistan's National flag and black flags of the IS.
One girl was reported to have suffered minor injury due to a tear smoke shell explosion. Protests also erupted in north Kashmir's Sopore and several areas of Anantnag district.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (central Kashmir range) Ghulam Hassan Bhat said that four policemen were wounded in stone-pelting instances. He said the police fired tear gas shells in self-defence and to disperse the protesters.
He confirmed that separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani, Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq were put under house detention. Mirwaiz was scheduled to lead Eid prayers at the Eidgah grounds. Geelani had called for half an hour peaceful protest demonstrations after Eid prayers against "anti-people policies of PDP-BJP coalition".
However, millions of people peacefully participated in congregational prayers across the Valley. Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed offered prayers at Hazratbal shrine where he became focus of media attention when he hugged his predecessor Omar Abdullah, who also offered the prayers there. The two leaders, otherwise bitter political rivals, exchanged pleasantries on the occasion.
Violent clashes also erupted in south Kashmir's Anantnag town. locals alleged that paramilitary CRPF personnel went berserk in several areas.
The clashes by and large did not affect the festivity of Eid. The situation returned to normal in the afternoon.
