Srinagar: Government forces burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse demonstrators trying to disrupt Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir district of Pulwama on Sunday, official sources said.

They said immediately after security forces launched CASO at Dar Ganai Gund, Tral, in Pulwama, hundreds of people, mostly youths, hit the streets in the nearby areas and tried to disrupt the operation.

However, government forces and state police personnel, already deployed to prevent demonstrators to march towards encounter site, swung into action and chased away them. The demonstrators later reassembled and pelted stones at security forces who resorted to lathicharge which had no impact.

Later,  forces burst teargas shells to disperse the demonstrators who continued stone pelting.

Authorities have suspended mobile internet service in the district as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours. (UNI)