Police lobbed tear gas shells and used batons to disperse students of Kashmir University and Regional Engineering College protesting alleged police inaction against those involved in a sex racket in Srinagar [Images], as they tried to take out a procession in defiance of the prohibitory orders in force in the city, official sources said.

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The students of the two prestigious institutions situated at Hazratbal on the outskirts of Srinagar staged demonstrations before attempting to march towards Lal Chowk in the heart of the city, the sources said.

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However, when they reached nearby Nigeen police station, the policemen there tried to persuade them to disperse.

When the students tried to break the police cordon, the policemen used batons and fired a few tear gas shells to disperse them, the sources added.

They said there was no report of any injury in the police action so far.

An angry mob had on Friday attacked two houses of the alleged kingpin of the racket and clashed with the police to protest the "failure" of the authorities to act against those involved in the scandal.

The Kashmir Valley also observed a total shutdown over the issue.

However, the situation in the rest of Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley was normal on Saturday, officials said.