Nocturnal raids, arrests spark skirmishes in Nowhatta

ISIS flag-wavers under police radar: Official

SRINAGAR: Nocturnal raids in the old city sparked protests and clashes between youth and police on Saturday morning.

According to the reports, police arrested many youth during nocturnal raids in Nowhatta and Gojwara area sparking night protests.

Eyewitnesses said that several youth were dragged out from their houses during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday and were lodged in police station Nowhatta, a charge refuted which the police deny to own.

The random arrests of youth sparked protest and according to eyewitnesses, scores of protesters resorted to stone-pelting in Nowhatta and Sarafkadal areas and forced shopkeepers to down their shutters.

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Most of the shops in Nowhatta area remained closed on Saturday, however, transport was seen plying as usual.

Police resorted to tear-gas shelling and aerial firing to disperse the agitated protesters.

Eyewitnesses said that one youth identified as Sajjad Ahmad sustained bullet injures near Saraf Kadal and was shifted to SKIMS for treatment. He is state to be out-of-danger.

A police official pleading anonymity said that several youth allegedly responsible for waving and unfurling ISIS, Pakistani flags and Hizb posters were on police radar. Some suspects have been arrested for questioning, he said.

Pertinently, on the previous day, after the Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta, a group of masked youth had unfurled posters of Hizb commander Burhan Wani sending the security apparatus into tizzy.

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