SRINAGAR: Two civilians including a middle-aged woman were injured in a firing by Indian troops on protesters in Zianakote area of Srinagar on Sunday.
The incident triggered massive protests in the area. Eyewitnesses said that a passenger vehicle coming from Beerwah was stopped at the HMT crossing by troops. “Soldiers asked the passengers to step out of the vehicle, but they refused, triggering an argument,” they stated. This led to a group of youth to hurl stones at the army.
The troops opened fire resulting in injuries to two civilians including the woman.
Srinagar SSP Imtiyaz Ismail Parray said that the injured were shifted to a hospital in Srinagar and that police have registered a case and started investigations.
The injured woman, identified as Syeda Salaam of Maloora, aged 50, has received a bullet in her arm. Another civilian identified as Abdul Aziz Laway of Parimpora has received a bullet in his thigh.
After the news of injuries to two civilians spread in the area, local youth hit the highway and resorted to massive pro-freedom sloganeering and stone pelting on the forces.
Meanwhile, a teenage boy got critically injured when a live mortar shell lying on the ground exploded. Police identified the injured as Muhammad Iqbal, son of Muhammad Rashid of Islamabad district.
The incident took place at Bandi Chechian near a bridge in Poonch district.