23YEAROLD YOUTH KILLED AS ARMY OPENS FIRE AT PROTESTERS IN BUDGAM

SRINAGAR : A civilian was killed and another injured in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday after army opened fire on stone-pelting protesters.

Police said Tanveer Ahmed Pala was killed and Mohammed Ibrahim Wani wounded after a foot patrol of the army mistook a firecracker for a grenade and firedatstone-peltersin-Beerwah.

“Because of the bang the army personnel thought a grenade was hurled and they retaliated,” said a police press statement.

An army spokesperson said mob had tried to snatch weapons from troops but he didn’t mention the “firecracker” incident.

“An army patrol was subjected to heavy stone pelting by a mo bin Kondur village near Beerwah town at 1315 hours today. In no time the numbers swelled and the intensity of stone pelting increased . Some stone-pelters tried to close in and snatch weapons from the soldiers. Two persons were reportedly injured when troops opened fired. One of the injured, however, later succumbed to his injuries,” army statement said.

A senior district health official told HT :“As reported by the block medical officer of Beerwah, one civilian has been killed in firing. Another civilian was injured and after first-aid we have referred him to Srinagar.”

However, eyewitnesses who claimed to know Tan veer and put his age at 23, refuted police’s ‘firecracker-mistaken-as-grenade’ versionand saidnostone-pelting took place . “Tanveer was a tailor. He along with a few others, was going for Friday prayers. They were not pelting stones. It was a targeted fire,” one of the eyewitnesses told HT .

A senior police officer said probe was on in the case. The ruling P DP, however, on its Twitter handle said: “An FIR has been lodged by police against army over the tragic killing of a youth in Beerwah.” ABHISHEK SAHA