Curfew in Srinagar after clashes between two groups of youth

Curfew was announced today evening in parts of Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar following skirmishes between two groups of youth in old city, Ashiq Hussain reports.

Curfew was announced on Wednesday evening in parts of Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar following skirmishes between two groups of youth in old city.

HT Image

A police spokesman said that civil and police administration were monitoring the situation, in areas falling under nine police stations, after clashes between two groups of youth belonging to two different communities in Zadibal wich is a volatile area of old city having a considerable strength of Shia population.

“There are no reports of anybody getting injured. However there were some sporadic incidents of stone pelting,” the spokesman said.

On ground in the city, the curfew was not implemented till late evening resulting in chaos and rumor mongering. Even police officials seemed surprised.

“Deputy commissioner of Srinagar has announced curfew in old city. I don’t know why exactly. But I am trying to implement the orders on ground,” said superintendent of police north city, Tahir Saleem.

An officer at Zadibal police station denied that curfew was implemented in the area. "We used teargas shelling to disperse the two groups of youth. Things are under control. We are keeping a strict watch but there is no curfew," he said.

Kashmir divisional commissioner, Asghar Samoon, Srinagar deputy commissioner, Baseer Khan and senior superintendent of police, Syed Ashiq Bukhari did not take calls from Hindustan times.