Kashmir bypolls: J&K Police arrest 18 persons on stone pelting charges in Anantnag

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Jammu: Ahead of bypolls for Anantnag parliamentary seat, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested at least 18 persons over their alleged involvement in stone pelting protests in the Kashmir valley.

Reports said that police raided dozens of houses in Anantnag in the wee hours today and arrested at least 18 persons for participating in stone pelting protests on Saturday.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a massive crackdown against youth for stone-pelting in south Kashmir and have arrested at least 135 youth in the past two weeks. 

Around 115 of them have been rounded up in Pulwama Police district alone last week, a report said. 

The by-polls for two parliamentary seats of Anantnag and Srinagar will be held on 9 April, according to the Election Commission of India.