Scores injured as students stage protests at Handwara, Pulwama

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 06-May-2017

Scores of students including girls were injured as clashes broke out at Handwara in frontier Kupwara district and Newa in Pulwama district between students and government forces on Saturday.According to GNS correspondent, hundreds of students of Government Degree College Handwara today staged massive pro-freedom and anti-India protests in continuity of the student uprising that erupted last month after government forces thrashed their counterparts at Pulwama Degree College.Witnesses said that amid massive sloganeering, the students took out a pro-freedom procession in Handwara Town which was intercepted by police, leading to heavy clashes between the two sides that continued for several hours. Police lobbed dozens of teargas shells against the students, including girls, resulting in injuries while many girls fainted, and felt suffocation. Local sources said that at least 25 students, most of them girls, sustained injuries in police action. The injured were shifted to Handwara hospital where they were given first aid treatment.

In a statement issued here, police said that despite heavy stone-pelting, they exercised maximum restrain and did not use much force on students. “It is due to our restraint that our 25 jawans were injured. The injured also include our SDPO and another officer,” the statement said. Meanwhile, Lashkar-e-Toiba has condemned use of force against the students, particularly girls, in Handawara.Scores of students of Newa Higher Secondary School in Pulwama staged pro-Azadi protests and demanded release of detained students. The students blocked Main Road leading to Pulwama and shouted slogans in favor of Islam and Azadi. Police rushed to the spot and used teargas shells to disperse the agitating students after which three girl students who got unconscious were shifted to hospital. The clashes between students and police continued for several hours in the area. (GNS)