Shouting anti-election slogans, groups pelted stones on police and paramilitary forces at Jamia Masjid and adjoining areas including Nowhatta, Gojwara and Rajouri Kadal.
SRINAGAR: At least nine persons including three policeman were injured when anti-poll protesters on Sunday attacked supporters of two candidates in Srinagar and indulged in stone pelting at several places on penultimate day of campaigning for the final phase of J-K Assembly elections.
Shouting anti-election slogans, groups pelted stones on police and paramilitary forces at Jamia Masjid and adjoining areas including Nowhatta, Gojwara and Rajouri Kadal in downtown srinagar, official sources said.
Police used batons to disperse the protestors and in the ensuing clashes, four persons including two policemen were injured, while shops and business establishments were closed and traffic came to a standstill.
Four persons including a policeman were injured when supporters of separatists' Co-ordination Committee which has called for a boycott of elections pelted stones on the cavalcade of an independent candidate in Habbakadal constituency in Srinagar.
A group of youth, shouting pro-freedom slogans, appeared at Asyed Ali Akbar and pelted stones on the cavalcade of independent candidate Bilal Ahmad Parra, a senior leader of People's Democratic Front, who was holding a roadshow, the sources said.
The youths were later chased by police and paramilitary personnel, the sources said.
A police guard also fire in air following a clash between supporters of national conference and its arch rival PDP at Khanyar locality of interior city, they said. No one was hurt in the shooting but one person was injured in the brick-batting between the two sides.
Some youngsters also pelted stones on National Conference candidate Shameema Firdous contesting against Parra while she was engaged in door-to-door campaigning at Dal Hassan Yar.
However, no one was hurt in the stone-pelting, the sources said.
Authorities have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure hassle-free campaigning by the candidates in all the eight constituencies of Srinagar district, going to polls in the final and seventh round of assembly polls on December 24.
The separatists have given a call for a march to Lal Chowk on the polling day besides a complete shutdown.
The separatists have rejected the Assembly elections on the plea that the polls are no solution to the Kashmir issue but despite their boycott call over 60 per cent polling has been registered in the six phases. The final round will be held on December 24 in 21 constituencies of Srinagar, Samba and Jammu.
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