Srinagar, May 9: Police on Tuesday lobbed tear-smoke shells to disperse the stone-throwing students in summer capital Srinagar. Large number of students from SP Higher Secondary School and Women’s College tried to take out a march that was foiled by police. The agitating students resorted to stone-pelting while police used force to disperse them. The clashes disrupted vehicular movement on Maulana Azad Road for a long time.
Students and shopkeepers alleged that police manhandled female students while some of the shopkeepers entered into argument with some policemen after a cop allegedly hit a girl student. Reports said that police lobbed tear-smoke shells inside Government College for Women where a large number of students were trapped.
Witnesses told CNS that police detained at least four students during the clashes. One student who was capturing the clashes on cell phone was apprehended while another student present outside Women’s College was also picked up. Two more students were dragged out from Soura bound vehicle and shifted to police station.
Students and some civilians also resorted to stone-pelting near Exchange Road.
Due to stone-pelting incidents, chaos and confusion prevailed in city centre for a long time. Witnesses said that many students were wounded during clashes.
Student protest was also reported from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district that turned violent after government forces tried to stop them. Eyewitnesses told CNS that a couple of students were wounded after Forces fired tear-smoke shells to stop students from hurling rocks.
Meanwhile, the Budgam district administration on Tuesday ordered the suspension of class work in two schools following yesterday’s clashes.
Officials said that the class work remained suspended on Tuesday at Govt Boys High School and Higher Secondary School Budgam.
Pertinently, the students’ in Kashmir valley have been protesting since April 15, when clashes were witnessed in Pulwama Degree College and the subsequent student arrests.
On Monday clashes amid protests were reported from many places including Srinagar, Handwara, Newa Pulwama, Budgam and Tral.
Government also on Monday had ordered the closure of three schools in Handwara. (CNS)
