Indian Army opens fire on protesting Kashmiris in Srinagar, two hit

Indian Army opens fire on protesting Kashmiris in Srinagar, two hit

SRINAGAR - Two civilians, including a middle-aged woman, were injured when Indian troops opened fire on protesters in Zianakote area of Srinagar.

Eyewitnesses told the Kashmir Media Services that a passenger vehicle coming from Beerwah was stopped at HMT crossing by the Indian troops. “Soldiers asked the passengers to step out of the vehicle, but they refused, triggering an argument,” they said.

The argument led to a group of youth hurling stones at the Indian army, which responded by opening fire, wounding at least two. The injured woman, identified as Syeda Salaam of Maloora, aged 50, received a bullet in her arm while a bullet hit Abdul Aziz Laway of Parimpora his thigh.

According to SSP Srinagar Imtiyaz Ismail Parray, the injured were moved to a hospital. He added that a case had been registered and the police were investigating the incident.

Protests erupted soon after the the news of the incident spread in the area with local youth taking to streets, shouting pro-freedom slogans and pelting stones on Indian forces.

A teenage boy was critically injured when a live mortar shell lying in the ground exploded. He was identified as Muhammad Iqbal, son of Muhammad Rashid from Islamabad district by the local police.

The incident took place at Bandi Chechian near a bridge in Poonch district.