17 security men injured as clashes mar Eid festivities in J&K

At least 17 security personnel were today injured as protesting youths clashed with them soon after the congregational Eid-ul-Adha prayers concluded in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said.

Clashes also broke out at Sopore town in Baramulla district and some parts of the city, marring Eid festivities.

17 police and CRPF personnel were injured in Anantnag, 50 km from here, when clashes broke out after the security forces tried to prevent a large group of youths from taking out a protest rally after the congregational Eid-ul-Adha prayers, police said.

Shouting "pro-freedom" slogans, the agitators threw stones at the security forces who retaliated with tear smoke cannisters, they said.

At least 12 policemen, including Anantnag SSP R K Jalla and SP (Operations) Zahid Malik, and five CRPF personnel were injured in the clashes, police said.

Several protesters were also injured in the clashes, they said. In Sopore, people took out a protest march soon after coming out of the Eidgah, police said. When police attempted to intercept the rallyists, they started pelting stones at them. Police fired several tear smoke cannisters there to disperse the crowd.


Protests also erupted in the old city here as youths clashed with police at Saraf Kadal locality after the Eid prayers.