A youth was killed and a woman allegedly injured in firing by army troops during clashes with stone-pelting protestors in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Friday, 14 June, the police said.
This is reportedly the first civilian death after the army stopped operations in the state in view of Ramzan.
However, a defence spokesperson said during a patrol by Army personnel, a mob gathered and began hurling stones, forcing them to resort to aerial firing after issuing a verbal warning.
The troops then extricated themselves and continued with their patrol, he said.
According to the police, a mob started throwing stones at the troops in Pulwama’s Nowpora.
As the stone-pelting became intense, the army personnel allegedly opened fire in which two persons were injured, a police official said, adding Waqas Ahmad succumbed to his injuries at a hospital while Ruqaya Bano is undergoing treatment.
The defence spokesperson said, "The road at Nowpora was blocked due to three to four cars being parked on the wrong side. The army personnel got off their vehicle to request the drivers to move the cars."
On seeing the Army personnel, a huge crowd gathered at the site and started throwing stones at them, the spokesperson said. "The troops cautioned the crowd verbally. However, the crowd turned violent and tried to overpower the troops. The personnel then resorted to aerial firing, following which they extricated themselves and continued with their patrol," he added.
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