Srinagar:At least 18 people, including seven security personnel, were injured on Sunday in fresh clashes that erupted during protests against the killing of two youths in police firing on Friday.

Though, the administration imposed restrictions in many parts to thwart any untoward incident, normal activities resumed in the valley after two days of a strike called by separatists against the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the state.

Violent clashes also rocked Nowhatta and adjoining localities for the third day on Sunday, the sources said.

Reinforcements have been rushed to violence-hit areas and prohibitory orders banning assembly of four or more persons are being reimposed to defuse the "tense situation".

Earlier, Police assisted by CRPF, fired teargas gas shells and used batons to chase away the protesters and in the ensuing clashes eight persons including four security personnel were injured, they said.

Three CRPF personnel were injured when a mob attacked them with stones at Kawdara and Fatehkadal localities, the sources said, adding, teargas shelling and lathicharge proved ineffective to control the situation. At least Six protesters were also injured in the ding-dong battle

One of the injured identified as Suhail Ahmad, a resident of Basant Bagh locality, was hit by a bullet when CRPF personnel allegedly opened fire to disperse a stone-pelting mob at Khankahi Moulla, official sources said

The local residents claimed that a curfew has been imposed in these areas since Saturday, a charge denied by Police.

"No curfew has been imposed in any part of the city," a duty officer at the Police Control Room said on Sunday.

The officer said stone-pelting incidents were reported from some parts of the city and presence of security personnel have been strengthened to deal with the situation

Two persons were killed and 75 others including 34 security personnel injured in day-long clashes in Nowhatta area on Friday.

The clashes followed a call for peaceful protests by separatists co-ordination committee against the visit of the Prime Minister.

The authorities strictly enforced prohibitory orders in the interior city yesterday even as a "civil curfew" was observed in the valley on the call of the separatists against the visit of Prime Minister.

In rest of the Srinagar, including uptown areas, the life returned to normal with shops and business establishments opening despite Sunday. All modes of transport were also plying normally.

However, a report from Baramulla district said a large group of people staged a peaceful protest in the North Kashmir town, 55 kms from here, against the arrest of some youth

The youths were arrested from their houses on Saturday night and shifted to an unknown destination, the protesters said demanding their immediate release

Senior police officers successfully pacified the protesters and normal activities resumed after the protest ended, they said.

Co-ordination committee, comprising both factions of Hurriyat Conference is spearheading the ongoing agitation for right to self-determination in the valley.

Source : DNA