Srinagar tense after youth killed in clash

Srinagar, Mar 7 (PTI) Life was crippled in downtown
areas of the city in India's northern part Saturday as
authorities imposed stringent restrictions on the movement of
people in view of the clash between locals demanding release
of detained Hurriyat leaders and security forces that left a
youth dead.

Thousands of police and paramilitary force personnel have
been deployed in the areas falling under 15 police stations of
downtown city to implement prohibitory orders promulgated by
the authorities to maintain law and order, official sources
said.

The sources said the areas falling under Maisuma police
station in the heart of the city were also brought under
similar restrictions to prevent breach of peace.

In the wake of restrictions imposed by the administration
in downtown city all shops and business establishments, banks,
government offices and semi-government institutions remained
closed in the old city.

Although no restrictions were imposed by the authorities
in civil line areas, business activities in uptown city also
came to a standstill in view of a spontaneous strike observed
against the killing of the youth.

A youth was killed and over 30 others, including six
cops and a CRPF jawan were injured, as police and paramilitary
personnel opened fire on the violent groups of youth demanding
release of detained Hurriyat leaders at Nowhatta in interior
city Friday evening.

Residents of old city alleged that security personnel
were not allowing them to come out of their houses and a
curfew-like situation prevailed.

However, police denied any report of curfew being imposed
saying security forces have been given strict orders not to
allow gathering of four or more people at any place as section
144 of CrPC was in force.

The trouble started shortly after Friday prayers, when
groups of youth indulged in stone pelting on security forces
at Nowhatta, the scene of such incidents for the past eight
months.

However, when the police and paramilitary forces
stopped them, they resorted to stone pelting on the security
personnel who used batons and fired tear smoke shells.

One of the youths injured in the firing, Shahid,
later succumbed to injuries. Thousands of people attended his
funeral at Rainwari locality last night. The condition of
another youth identified as Shabir was critical. PTI AMS
AM