Hundreds of students on Monday in Lal Chowk hit streets again and staged intense pro-freedom and anti-India protests during which they also clashed with police in which two dozen persons including SSP Srinagar were injured.According to GNS correspondent, hundreds of students took out a rally from SP College and SP Higher Secondary School at MA Road in city centre this morning and staged pro-freedom and anti-India protests. As the protests grew stronger along MA Road and protesters tried to March towards Lal Chowk, police swung into action and sprinkled colour water and teargas shells against the protesting students.The students retaliated by resorting to heavy stone pelting from many sides including SP College entrance and Women’s College. As the clashes ensued, police fired dozens of teargas shells inside the premises of SP College. In the meanwhile, the students of women’s college also staged massive protests outside their college and pelted stones on police.The clashes created panic in the nearby areas and with the passage of time the protests swelled. Due to heavy clashes and protests, the shopkeepers in almost all the Lal Chowk markets including MA Road, Maisuma, Budshah Chowk and Residency Rood downed their shutters. The movement of public and private transport vehicles also came to halt. According to witnesses, one dozen persons including two girls and a lady as well few photojournalists were injured.
Meanwhile, police said: “Students were attending classes normally today in S P School and in Women's College at M A Road Srinagar. However, just after the end of about an hour of class work, some miscreants from different places entered in the premises of school and created disturbances. The miscreants along with some students blocked MA road because of which hundreds of vehicles got stranded on this ever busy road and adjacent chowks.“The Police and security forces personnel reached the spot. They were pelted upon heavily due to which many police and security forces personnel were injured. The stone pelting created panic in the area after which many shopkeepers closed their shops. Some vehicles were damaged. The miscreants and the students pelted stones on Traffic Headquarters and attacked police vehicles with stones clubs and lathies. “Police also said: “The police showed utmost restraint. Twelve personnel including three officers were injured in the stone pelting. Some boys involved in stone pelting were caught on the spot and detained by Police. The mob was dispersed and the normalcy was restored in the area. The parents are requested to advise their wards not to indulge in stone pelting and other such activities which create disorder in the schools and on the roads.” (GNS)