Stone-pelters mar Eid celebrations, wave Pakistan, IS flags in Srinagar

In a bid to disrupt peace, the demonstrators chanted slogans and clashed with police personnel on duty in Srinagar's near Jama Masjid, soon after Eid prayers.
File Photo of stone pelters in Srinagar. (AFP)
File Photo of stone pelters in Srinagar. (AFP)

SRINAGAR: The celebrations of Eid-Ul-Fitr were marred by violence in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar city on Wednesday as stone-pelters came out on the streets and waved flags of Pakistan and dreaded terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

In a bid to disrupt peace, the demonstrators chanted slogans and clashed with police personnel on duty in Srinagar's near Jama Masjid, soon after Eid prayers.

Security personnel, however, practiced maximum restraint.

The miscreants, mostly youngsters, had their faces covered and pelted stones on security personnel, who were trying to disperse them.

Similar clashes were reported in Sopore in north Kashmir and Anantnag in south Kashmir, the officials said.

In Nowhatta area of the city, masked protestors reportedly held banners in support of banned Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and slain militant commander Zakir Musa.

However, police officials said they are verifying the veracity of these reports.

Security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order situation, they said.

The situation elsewhere in the valley remained peaceful, they said.

Similar activities were seen in August last year on the occasion of Eid-Al-Adha.

Attempting to legitimise terrorists Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and Zakir Musa, they held posters with their photos and placards saying "Kashmir Banega Pakistan" and "Musa Army".

Hafiz Saeed is the chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai attacks which claimed around 164 lives.

Masood Azhar is the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed, terror outfit that carried out Pulwama attack killing over 40 security personnel. In a major diplomatic win for India, he was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations recently.

The festival of Eid was celebrated with much fanfare across the state with people thronging mosques, shrines and Eidgahs to offer prayers on the culmination of the holy month of Ramzan.

The biggest gathering of devotees was witnessed at Hazratbal shrine where thousands of faithful offered the Eid prayers, officials said.

Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta in the old city also witnessed a huge crowd.

People also thronged to Sonawar and Soura shrines in the heart of the city, they said, adding similar gatherings were held at all districts headquarters and major towns of the valley.

Earlier in the day, a girl was shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar while a boy is critical.

(With PTI Inputs)

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