3 persons injured in Pulwama Clashes

Pulwama, May 15: At least three persons including an 18-year-old youth suffered pellet injuries after clashes erupted in Rahmoo area in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday afternoon, reports and officials told GNS.

They said that scores of people took to streets and staged protest in Rahmoo. According the locals, they were seeking prayers to be allowed as part of the “religious obligation.” However, officials said that incident took place as authorities were closing down shops which were opened in violation of the lockdown measures in the “red zone area.”

Report said the police and CRPF deployment tried to disperse them by firing teargas canisters. The protesters hurled stones at the deployments, triggering clashes. The police and CRPF men also resorted to pellet firing to disperse the protesters, they said. Three persons suffered injuries and two of them were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment, sources said.

The concerned Tehsildar Rakib, who had visited the area along with the police team told GNS over phone that the area has been already declared as red zone.

“As we were closing down the shops where many people had assembled, stones were pelted as some people incited the mobs,” he said. SSP Pulwama Ashish Mishra (IPS) said that the incident took place as shopkeepers were being asked to close their shops in the red zone area.

GNS