Over 40 hurt in Kashmir protests

Mobs gathered at Nowhatta, Gojiwara, Rajouri Kadal, Kawdara and some other localities of Old City after Friday prayers, resorting to heavy stone pelting at contingents of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) who had been deployed to thwart the day?s separatist march. Police had to use batons and tear gas as the protesters kept on re-grouping in the lanes and by-lanes of the densely populated areas. The entire Baramulla district and the highway linking it with Srinagar were sealed off early yesterday morning as the authorities banned the assembly of five or more persons in the area. The clashes erupted in parts of old city after the Friday prayers, prompting the security forces to use tear gas and batons. The clashes after hundreds of youths shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans took to streets in the old city. Baramulla, Sopore and Pattan towns falling in Baramulla district, were sealed by the security forces to prevent yesterday?s separatist march. No movement was allowed in these towns and on the Srinagar-Baramulla Highway yesterday. A related incident yesterday, wherein a militant was killed and two others wounded while fabricating two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which top police sources here admit was meant to carry out explosions today, has forced the administration to mount fool proof security for the event; Kazinform cites Arab News. See www.arabnews.com for full version.