At least five persons sustained pellet injuries during clashes amid shutdown in Anantnag town here on Saturday against the alleged “excesses” by forces on Friday.
A traders’ body had called for the strike and protests against the “highhandedness and excesses” by the forces.
All shops and other business establishments remained closed in the town and its adjoining villages while skeletal transport plied on roads.
Meanwhile, shopkeepers staged a demonstration against what they said “excesses” being committed by the police.
Early in the morning, traders assembled at Lal Chowk square amid sloganeering and held a sit in terming the forces action as uncalled for.
Locals said last evening, several godowns were gutted in fire after a tear smoke shell fired by the forces during clashes landed in one of the business establishments in congested Reshi Bazar locality of old town. At least a dozen persons including a woman had sustained injuries in the clashes after Friday prayers.
Police and paramilitary forces wearing riot gears and armed with sophisticated weapons were deployed in strength to thwart any attempts of protests.
However, clashes broke out in several old town localities during the day. Youth fought pitched battled with forces who responded by lobbing tear smoke shells and firing pellets. At least five people sustained pellet injuries in the clashes. One of the youth, who sustained pellet injuries in eye, was shifted to SMHS hospital here.
POLICE VERSION ON FIRE INCIDENT
Police today came out with a clarification with reference to what it said news circulated by some news groups on social networking sites regarding the fire incident at Anantnag.
“District police Anantnag clarifies that Police has been absolutely careful in dealing with the situation. The cause of fire is under investigation. The police along with the civil administration and fire service tried best to control the fire amidst stone pelting by some miscreants. The incident of tear shell was in the afternoon and the fire incident happened in the evening. We urge the traders and public to cooperate and should they have any grievances, we will try and resolve it,” police spokesperson said in a statement.