Srinagar, June 15: In the first civilian casualty caused due to Army firing in Kashmir amid the Ramzan ceasefire, a teenager in Pulwama was killed and a woman injured as the forces launched fire to disperse a raging mob of stone-pelters.
The deceased, identified as Vikar Ahmed, was 18-year-old. According to reports, he was part of the stone-pelting mob which was attacking an Army convoy in Noupora-Litter village of Pulwama.
Army spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said the incident occurred earlier in the day when the Army was conducting an "area domination patrol" through some parts of Pulwama. Since some cars on the route blocked the way, Kalia claimed, the troops requested the locals to move them away.
"On seeing the Army personnel, a huge crowd gathered at the site and started pelting stones and closing in on to the troops, endangering their safety and government property," the Army spokesperson said.
The troops warned them verbally and fired shots in the air to dispel them, Kalia added. However, the mob remained undeterred which compelled the forces to launch gunfire.
The incident came hours after two Jammu & Kashmir police personnel and three civilians were injured after suspected militants fired at a security check post in Srinagar.
On the eve of Eid, the Valley remains on the edge as two major killings were reported on Thursday. Army jawan Aurangzeb, posted with the 44 Rashtriya Rifles, was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama. In a separate incident, noted Kashmiri scribe and editor of English daily Rising Kashmir was assassinated outside his residence in Srinagar last night by bike-borne militants.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2018 10:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).