Army opens fire in Baramulla

(15 persons hurt, 2 are critical)

For the first in present unrest that has claimed at least 65 lives, army troops allegedly opened fire to disperse a group of protesters in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district this evening.

Seven persons including a woman sustained bullets while eight others were injured in police and paramilitary CRPF action that followed it, reports and official sources said.

The trouble erupted when troops of 46 Rastriya Rifles spotted an “objectionable” flag hoisted atop mobile tower in Sabzi Market in the town. As the army went to remove it, people stage protests.

The army personnel opened fire in which seven persons were injured.

The injured have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Gojri son of Sonaullah, Mohammed Yaseen Dar son of Mohammed Rajab, Amir Qadeer son of Mohammad Qadeer, Shabir Ahmad son of Abdul Rehman, Irfan Ahmad Son of Manzoor Ahmad, Farooq Ahmad Tantray Son of Abdul Rehman and woman Shareefa wife of Ghulam Mohidin of Handwara were injured.

Gojri who was hit on thigh and Yaseen Dar, who sustained bullet in leg, have been removed to SHMS hospital here where their condition is said to be critical.

Later, they said, police and paramilitary forces reached the spot and resorted to massive baton charge. Eight persons sustained injuries in the beating, they added.

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In a statement here, a police spokesman said: “One objectionable flag was spotted by forces on a mobile tower in the Sabzi Market in Baramulla.

The force personnel climbed up the tower to bring down it.”

“A mob gathered and pelted stones on the force personnel. In the retaliatory action five persons were injured, two of them are reported to be serious and referred to Srinagar.”

The police spokesman did not clarify on force personnel whether they were from army or paramilitary CRP