BudgamOn a day, when people were observing protest shutdown against the spate of civilian killings, another civilian was shot dead by Army in Central Kashmirs Budgam district.
An 18-year-old was killed in firing on Friday after an army patrol, according to police, mistook a firecracker for grenade and opened fire on a crowd.
According to the police, the soldiers from 53 Rashtrya Rifles were on foot patrol duties in the Kund village in Beerwah area when at a short distance from their camp, they confronted a mob which was engaged in clashes with the paramilitary forces and police.
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“Suddenly someone threw a firecracker towards the soldiers,” said Inspector General of Police, Muneer Khan. When it burst with a loud noise, the soldiers mistook it for a grenade and fired in the direction from where the firecracker had been thrown.
Two people, Tanveer Ahmed Pala and Mohammed Ibrahim Wani, were hit by bullets. Both of the injured were rushed to primary health centre, Gondipora where Tanveer, 18, was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors. Tanveer, resident of Arwah village, was hit in the head.
After the incident, thousands marched with the body of Tanveer in Beerwah town, shouting pro-Azadi and anti-India slogans.
Earlier hundreds of residents took out a protest march shortly after the culmination of Friday prayers at Beerwah. The protests turned violent soon after government forces lobbed tear-gas shells to disperse the protesters.
Tensions in the area were running high as according to the residents, army personnel had allegedly, thrashed vendors and pedestrians in the area.
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Shortly after the killing of youth, authorities suspended mobile internet service across Budgam district.
Meanwhile, Police said that a First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against Armys 53 RR over this killing.
This is the second FIR lodged against army for murdering a civilian. Last week, police lodged a murder case against Army for killing a 60 year old civilian Muhammad Abdullah Ganaie in South Kashmirs Bijbehara town.
Multiple funeral prayers were offered for Tanveer at his native place reports said.
Reports said that soon after Tanveers funeral prayers were offered and his body was being taken for burial, forces again fired tear smoke shells, this time on the mourners.
However police claimed that people pelted stones on them and tear gassing was in retaliation.
The incident took place 40 km from capital Srinagar where authorities had imposed restrictions in several parts of the city. The police said the restrictions on the movement of people were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
Kashmiri leadership had earlier called for a shutdown and asked people to march to the local office of the United Nations. Most of the shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut while public transport was off the roads, the officials said.
The police had barricaded roads leading to the office of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) at Sonwar.
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