Protests erupt in Bandipore on Interlocutors visit

Srinagar: Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police on Saturday used force to quell pro-freedom demonstrations in Chitarnaar area of Bandipore district on the visit of Interlocutors.

Eyewitnesses told Press Bureau of India that scores of people mainly youth this morning assembled at main chowk and staged pro-freedom and anti-India demonstrations when two of the three interlocutors appointed by New Delhi appeared in the nearby Chitarnaar village to meet a cross section of society.

They said academician Radha Kumar and former bureaucrat, MM Ansari were interacting with teachers, traders, senior citizens and mainstream political leaders at Forest Training School, when the youth appeared at main chowk and started pelting stones on police and CRPF personnel. Forces resorted to cane charged and lobbed teargas canisters to disperse the protesters. The pitched battles continued for some time. However, no reports of any injury were received.