Life returns to normal across city

City correspondent said that violent clashes broke out between youth and a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police after a youth identified as Fayaz Ahmad, son of Ghulam Rasool Mir was arrested from his shop at Parimpora early this morning. Forces used batons and fired numerous teargas canisters to disperse the youth who hurled rocks amidst pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.

During clashes, police arrested one more teenager identified as Mugais Ahmad. The arrests intensified the clashes between the forces and the protesters. The clashes also hit the movement of transport on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad highway.

Meanwhile, life in rest of the city limped back to normal this morning after the authorities lifted curfew from seven police stations of Kothi Bagh, Maisuma, Kralkhud, Maharaj Gunj, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta and Khanyar that was imposed to foil the main Ashura procession from Abi Guzar to historic Imam Bara Zadibal on Friday.

Press Bureau of India city correspondent said all shops, government and private offices, educational institutes and financial institutions, banks and petrol pumps resumed their activities this morning.

The residents of old city, where curfew was strictly enforces on Friday heaved a sigh of relief as the curbs were lifted this morning.

Reports of clashes were also reported from Sopore town of North Kashmir.

Correspondent from North Kashmir said that like past three days, groups of youth this morning appeared at Batpora and Chankhan and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations. Chanting “We want freedom,” “Islam Zindabad,” “Go India Go Back,” the youth were protesting the arrest of two college students.

The protesters pelted rocks and stones on the forces that were heavily deployed in the area. The forces returned the stones. No reports of any injury were received in the clashes.