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Violence engulfs Baramulla following youth's death

December 07, 2010 19:58 IST

Violence erupted in north Kashmir's on Baramulla town following death of a youth on Tuesday afternoon.

While the residents alleged Zahoor Ahmad Dar, who died on Tuesday, had been injured in clashes with the security forces in the town some time back, a spokesman of the Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday evening strongly denied the allegation.

The spokesman said, "There was no entry of Dar's name in injured' list of police records during any kind of law and order problem."

 "There were reports that the deceased was suffering from some ailment from the last few months," the spokesman said in a statement in Srinagar on Tuesday evening.

As the news about Dar's death spread in the town late on Tuesday afternoon, angry youth shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans took to streets and clashed with security forces who intervened to restore order.

Security forces used tear smoke and baton charges to disperse the stone pelters in the town who, however, continued to re-group and indulged in heavy stone pelting.

The clashes later spread to other parts of the town, 54 kms from capital Srinagar located on the Srinagar Muzaffarabad road.

The body of Dar was buried in the town on Tuesday evening even as clashes were continuing.

Situation was highly tense, but 'controlled,' according to officials.

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar