BSF trooper, civilian injured in Pakistan firing
A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper and a civilian were injured in overnight Pakistan shelling and firing on the international…
Two civilians were killed and 16 others, including 7 Army personnel, were injured on Saturday as security forces opened fire on a mob that tried to lynch a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the army and snatch his rifle at Gowanpura in Shopian district of south Kashmir.
The stone-pelting mob tried to set on fire vehicles of the army convoy passing through the chowk of the town, said Colonel Rajesh Kalia, spokesman of the army.
The police has registered a case against the army personnel and initiated an inquiry into the incident.
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The killed youths have been identified Javed Bhat (20) and Suhail Lone (24). Bhat was taken to hospital in a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries.
Another youth, Rayees Ahmad, was shifted to Srinagar with serious injuries.
The army spokesman said that the mob of about 250 stone-pelters caused extensive damage to the army vehicles. The JCO received head injury and fell unconscious when the miscreants tried to lynch him. The violent crowd further closed in towards the vehicles and attempted to set them on fire.
Considering the gravity of the situation, the army was constrained to open fire in self defence to prevent lynching of the JCO and burning of the vehicle by the mob, the spokesperson said. A total of seven army men suffered injuries and extensive damage was caused to eleven vehicles.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have criticised the incident.
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