Youth throw stones on the police during a protest in Srinagar. Tribune Photo: Yawar Kabli

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 24

The Islamic State and Pakistani flags were raised during the Friday protests outside Jamia Masjid in Srinagar for the second consecutive week since the Army Chief’s warning to those waving the flags.The flags were waved by masked youth outside Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta locality of Srinagar’s old city after the midday congregational prayers, eyewitnesses said.The eyewitnesses said the protesters raised slogans as they waved the flags outside the mosque. The waving of the IS and Pakistani flags has taken a new centrestage following the warning by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat last week.The Army Chief had on Wednesday last week described the display of the IS and Pakistani flag as “acts of terrorism” and warned those waving them that they would be treated as “anti-national elements”.The display of the flags outside Jamia Masjid is a routine after the Friday’s congregational prayers.During today’s demonstration, the protesters also displayed pictures of militants. The protesters later clashed with police and paramilitary personnel, deployed in strength around the mosque to prevent the protest from spilling over to other localities.The police and paramilitary forces fired tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters, who threw stones at them.