Youths wave Pak, IS flags; clashes with police

Clashes broke out today between police and groups of youth when they waved flags of Pakistan and ISIS and posters after the Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid and adjoining areas here.

Immediately after the Friday prayers ended at Jamia Masjid, masked youth took to streets and started waving flags of Pakistan, ISIS and militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad besides posters of Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Sallahuddin, officials said.

The youths, they said, also waved the posters of two slain three-year-old boys - Burhan of Sopore in north Kashmir and Aylan of Syria.

While the Sopore youth was killed along with his father in an attack by gunmen on September 20, Aylan drowned while he along with his family was trying to migrate to escape fighting back home on September 2.

Soon after police swung into action, heavy clashes broke out as the youth indulged in stone pelting.

The police responded by firing dozens of teargas shells and other non-lethal weapons.

Clashes spread to adjoining Nowhatta chowk, Gojwara and Rajouri Kadal, disrupting normal activities, the officials said, adding that none was hurt in the clashes.