Two youth injured as Army opens fire on protesters in Ashmuqam

Two youth were injured on Tuesday after Army opened fire on civilians in Aishmuqam area of this South Kashmir district, witnesses said.
The firing took place at around 8:30 am in Tantray Mohalla area near Jamia Masjid Ashmuqam. The injured were identified as Javaid Ajmad Wani, 23, and Aamir Ahmad Sheikh, 21.
Wani received a bullet in his neck and was referred to SK Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura Srinagar in a critical condition while Sheikh—who was hit by a bullet in arm—is being treated at District Hospital Anantnag, a police official said.
Local residents accused the Army of resorting to unprovoked firing on people who had assembled in Jamia Masjid (central mosque) premises to “give shape to a new Intizamia (organizing) committee of the Masjid.” However, police claimed that the Army was conducting a search operation to nab suspected militants in the area—a claim refuted by locals as a “blatant lie.”
“The Army opened fired in self-defense after they came under stone-pelting during a cordon and search operation in the area,” said Superintendent of Police (SP) Anantnag (Islamabad), Abdul Jabbar.
Many soldiers sustained injuries in the stone-pelting incident, he claimed.
“A case has been registered into the incident and investigations taken up,” the SP told.
A police official said a case vide FIR No. 12/2016 US 307 (attempt to murder) of RPC has been registered against “unknown Army men.”
The Army however expressed ignorance about the incident. “I am not aware of any such incident,” Army’s Srinagar-based spokesperson Lt Col NN Joshi said.
Locals maintained that Army resorted to unprovoked firing outside Jamia Masjid premises in TantrayMohalla.
“We had assembled to frame a new organizing committee after a deadlock between the two groups over its framing came to an end following the intervention of the district administration,” they said. “A magisterial rank officer was also scheduled to monitor the entire process.”
Locals said the army men who were passing through the area “opened fire without any provocation, resulting in injuries to the two youth.”
A local police official however claimed some youth hooted at the soldiers who “got infuriated and fired at the youth directly.”
Earlier, locals alleged, that Army soldiers raided three houses in MagrayMohalla and Aarifeen Colony and harassed the inmates. As the word about this “harassment” spread in the area, a spontaneous shutdown was observed there. Shopkeepers downed their shutters and traffic went off the roads. People hit the streets and protested against the Army.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Muneer-ul-Islam, on Tuesday rushed to the area and assured investigation and “appropriate action against the accused.”
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident and Additional Deputy Commissioner Anantnag has been asked to ascertain the facts and furnish his report within 15 days, Muneer-ul-Islam told.