60-yr-old injured as Army men open fire

Suhail A Shah

Bijbehara, July 17

A 60-year-old man was injured in Bijbehara town of Anantnag district today as Army men allegedly opened fire at civilians, who questioned the alleged thrashing of a young motorcyclist by the men in uniform.

Mohammad Abdullah Ganai has been shifted to a Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment after getting first-aid at a sub-district hospital in the town.

The incident took place around 2.45 pm in Goriwan Chowk of Bijbehara, along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, 38 km from Srinagar.

According to eyewitnesses, Army men on duty along the NH allegedly stopped a motorcyclist and started thrashing him, “for no apparent reason”. “Seeing the highhandedness, local shopkeepers entered into an argument with the Army men,” an eyewitness said.

He said while locals were arguing with the Army men, two of them allegedly opened unprovoked fire at the civilians.

One of the civilians was hit by a bullet while the rest of them managed to flee the spot in time.

“He was shot in the left thigh and has been left with grievous multiple fractures. We have shifted him to Bone and Joints Hospital in Srinagar,” a doctor said.

The police have registered an attempt to murder case against unidentified Army personnel of the unit stationed at the SICOP here in Bijbehara,” Bijbehara SDPO Tanveer Ahmad said.

Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said he was trying to ascertain the facts regarding the incident.