At least 14 persons were injured on Saturday as the summer capital Srinagar erupted into "anti-blasphemy" protests leading to violent protestor-security force clashes.
As news about a blasphemous sketch on some garments spread in the old city, angry youth took to streets shouting pro-Islam slogans.
The youths indulged in heavy stone pelting on police and paramilitary, central reserve police force (CRPF) troopers leading to violent clashes that continued till this evening.
Authorities moved heavy police and CRPF reinforcements into the old city areas rocked by protests to restore order.
The clashes, however, spread to the civil lines area as well by late afternoon where shopkeepers downed their shutters and traffic thinned out on the streets.
The police initially used teargas and baton charges to disperse the protestors who, however, continued to re-group in various localities of the old city.
Security forces resorted to aerial firing in the Maisuma locality near the city centre Lal Chowk as mobs shouting slogans resorted to heavy stone pelting on the police.
At least 14 persons including five security men were injured in the clashes, according to a police officer.
The police this evening asked the general public 'to remain vigilant against the rumour mongering and not pay heed to the rumours'.
