Srinagar, Dec 11 (IANS) Nine people, including a 14-year-old youth, were injured Friday as protesters clashed with the police in Srinagar following a shutdown call by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani.
A mob of stone pelting protesters clashed with the police in uptown Maisuma locality and in areas around city centre Lal Chowk in the morning, a police officer said.

“Police had to intervene to bring the situation under control,” he said.

A youth, identified as Faizan, 14, sustained critical injuries when police used batons and tear smoke shells to quell the mob.

“Six policemen and three other protesters have also been injured,” the officer told IANS.

The protests erupted in the locality following a shutdown call by Geelani, who claimed the protest “is part of a peaceful resistance programme for vacation of lands occupied by the army in Kashmir”.

The injured youth was taken to hospital where doctors operated upon him. An attending doctor said he had sustained critical abdominal injuries.

A senior police officer here denied that the youth had sustained a bullet wound.

Shops and businesses remained closed here and public transport went off the roads.

Geelani is to address a congregation in the old city later Friday where the shutdown call has evoked total response.

Apprehending arrest by the police, Geelani has reportedly gone underground so that he reaches the Khankah-e-Movla mosque where he is to address the Friday congregation.