Several injured in Indian Kashmir clashes
At least four policemen and three protesters were injured, a police officer said.
SRINAGAR:
Several people were injured in fierce clashes between police and demonstrators in Indian Kashmir as prayers marking the Muslim festival of Eidul Azha erupted into protests on Monday, police said.
Police fired tear gas and used batons to ward off protesters who were chanting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, witnesses said.
Security forces moved in after hundreds of worshippers, mostly youths, streamed out of mosques and held noisy demonstrations in the towns of Anantnag and Sopore.
Protesters retreated into narrow lanes and pelted police and paramilitary forces with stones, sparking the violence.
At least four policemen and three protesters were injured, a police officer said, asking not to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
Authorities deployed thousands of police and paramilitary in the summer capital Srinagar to prevent a repeat of the violent protests that hit the city last year on the Muslim holiday of Eidul Fitr.
Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani had been placed under house arrest, his office said.
India has an estimated 500,000 troops in Kashmir, which is split into Indian- and Pakistani-administered parts.
Several people were injured in fierce clashes between police and demonstrators in Indian Kashmir as prayers marking the Muslim festival of Eidul Azha erupted into protests on Monday, police said.
Police fired tear gas and used batons to ward off protesters who were chanting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, witnesses said.
Security forces moved in after hundreds of worshippers, mostly youths, streamed out of mosques and held noisy demonstrations in the towns of Anantnag and Sopore.
Protesters retreated into narrow lanes and pelted police and paramilitary forces with stones, sparking the violence.
At least four policemen and three protesters were injured, a police officer said, asking not to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
Authorities deployed thousands of police and paramilitary in the summer capital Srinagar to prevent a repeat of the violent protests that hit the city last year on the Muslim holiday of Eidul Fitr.
Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani had been placed under house arrest, his office said.
India has an estimated 500,000 troops in Kashmir, which is split into Indian- and Pakistani-administered parts.