Jammu and Kashmir: Students clash with security forces in Handwara, Pulwama

Clashes erupted between protesting students and security forces in Handwara town in north and Pulwama in south Kashmir on Saturday, the police said.

According to the latest reports several students have been injured in these clashes.

Dozens of students from the government higher secondary school in Newa area of Pulwama district staged a protest against the alleged high-handedness of security forces, a police official was quoted as saying.

He said the students were asked by security forces to disperse but they refused, leading to clashes.

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The students pelted stones at security forces, who resorted to baton charge and tear smoke shelling, the official said, adding that clashes were going on till the reports last came in.

Similar protests took place in Handwara town of Kupwara district where students of the government degree college clashes with security forces, the official said.

He said the students indulged in stone pelting, prompting the law enforcing agencies to use force.

The intermittent protests have been going on since then and the class work has been suspended in the higher educational institutions by the authorities for over a week last month as a precautionary measure.

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Students are representing an act of retaliation against the the alleged high-handedness of police and are demanding action against the erring personnel for roughing up students.

A number of students were arrested during clashes in Srinagar and elsewhere in the valley.