Women college students joined the anti-police protests in Srinagar in large numbers on Monday and clashed with the police for over three hours. The collegians in uniform hurled rocks at police vehicles, while bringing the commercial hub, Lal Chowk, to a standstill. Students of Srinagar’s prestigious Government Women’s College and juniors from the nearby Kothi Bagh Higher Secondary School suddenly descended on Lal Chowk.
Armed with stones and plastic cones, the women students were seen laying an ‘ambush’ on a three-police vehicle patrol at Exchange Road. Some of them kicked a police vehicle while some hit it with hard objects. A group came close to the policemen, hurled stones, and chased away the patrol.
“Even stun grenades, PAVA shells and tear-smoke shells did not deter them. They hit the streets more than eight times despite tear-smoke shelling,” said a police officer on condition of anonymity. The police were forced to fire tear-smoke inside the campus to contain the situation.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, also working president of the National Conference, posted the image of a volley-ball carrying girl hitting a police vehicle to make a point on growing anger in J&K. “The reality that is Kashmir - she has her basketball and a brick in the same hand while she kicks the truck,” tweeted Mr. Abdullah.
