Protesters clash with security forces in Kashmir Valley

Clashes erupted in parts of the Kashmir Valley after the congregational Friday prayers as protesters assembled outside mosques shouting pro-Islamic and "freedom" slogans.

Soon after the Friday prayers ended in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore, Tral and Bijbehara towns, slogan-shouting protesters assembled outside the local mosques.

Four protesting youth and a security man were injured in Sopore, but police here said no serious injury to anyone has so far been reported from anywhere in the Valley.

In Maisuma area of Srinagar, some protesting youths forced closure of markets before they were chased away by the security forces.

Separatists had called for protests after the Friday prayers against killings of three civilian in clashes with the security forces in Budgam district o n Tuesday.

Authorities had made heavy deployments of security forces in sensitive areas of the Valley although no curfew was imposed anywhere.

Senior separatist leaders including Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq were placed under house arrest here while Muhammad Yasin Malik has been lodged in Srinagar central jail after he was remanded to police custody by the Principal District and Sessions Judge on Wednesday.

--IANS

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