Clashes erupted between youth and forces at few place in Kashmir after the mandatory Friday congregational ended in the local masjids today.Witnesses said that the after Friday congregational prayers, clashes erupted between youth and forces at few places including Nowhatta in Srinagar, Hajin in Bandipora, Sopore areas in Baramulla and in Shopian town.Eye-witnesses told KNS that as soon as the Friday congregational prayers ended at the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Srinagar, the youth took to streets and raised slogans in favour of ‘Azadi’.The youth later pelted stones on forces who in return fired tear smoke shells on them, triggering clashes in the area.Similarly, the youth in Sopore in Baramulla, Hajin in Bandipora district and in Shopian town also took to streets and staged protest.Amid pro-freedom sloganeering, the youth tried to march towards main Chowk.However, police tried disallowed them to march towards main Chowk and resorted to tear gas shells, triggering clashes in the area.
Meanwhile, a police official said that barring a few minor stone pelting incidents, the situation remained peaceful throughout the day. “Minor stone pelting took place at one or two places during which no injury was reported,” he said.Meanwhile, a complete shutdown on the second consecutive day on Friday was observed in Shopian town to protest against the ‘disappearance’ of a local youth in police custody.Zubair Ahmad Turray son of Bashir Ahmad Turay, a popular local youth according to police escaped from Police station Keegam on May 1.Zubair was last arrested in 2015 on stone pelting charges. He was slapped with Public Safety Act (PSA) and was lodged in different jails.All shops and business establishments remain closed while as the vehicular movement was off the roads throughout the day.The appeal for the shutdown was announced from mosque loudspeakers on Thur. (KNS)