Locals, security men clash at Amarnath Yatra's Baltal camp

Clashes broke out Thursday evening between locals and security forces at Baltal base camp of Amarnath Yatra in north Kashmir after CRPF men reportedly beat up a taxi driver, police said. Twelve people were reportedly injured.

Taxi drivers and locals resorted to heavy stone pelting at the security forces after local taxi driver Ghulam Nabi, son of Sikander, resident of Khanan in Ganderbal, was reportedly severely beaten up by some Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the camp, 85 km from here in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

After the incident, taxi drivers and locals torched some CRPF tents and smashed many vehicles at the base camp.

Reports reaching here said a dozen protestors have also been injured during the clashes with the security forces and some of them have been brought to Kangan sub-district hospital for treatment.

As the news about the clashes reached the Kangan town on the Srinagar-Leh highway on the Yatra route, 40 km from here, people came out on the highway and pelted stones at passing vehicles.

Senior police, paramilitary and civil administration officers have rushed to Baltal to bring the situation under control.