Srinagar, September 7, 2013 :Panic gripped entire Lalchowk when gunshots were heard in nearby Budshah bridge. According to eye witnesses, Indian armed forces Central Reserve Police Force fired at a vehicle near Budshah Bridge near the city centre Lal Chowk injuring three persons including traveling in it. The witnesses told Kashmir Life that the car is lying upside down at the spot and the injured identified as Muhammad Iqbal Sheikh of Machuwa Chadoora and two women have been shifted to hospital. Youths from the adjacent Maisuma area came out of their homes and started anti-india protests.
They said CRPF personnel opened fire injuring one person, who was rushed to the hospital. Later, agitated over the incident, groups of youth from nearby Maisuma area, took to streets and indulged in stone pelting on the CRPF personnel, they said. In retaliation CRPF and police fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters. The car bearing registration number, JKOIR-5054 has two bullet marks on the right side. The injured was identified as Muhammad Iqbal Sheikh of Machuwa Chadoora. He was travelling along with two women in the car.
Eyewitness said CRPF personnel fired directly at the vehicle and injured Shiekh critically.
“After the car stopped and collided with the divider, the CRPF personnel came quickly and placed liquor bottles inside the vehicle to portray Sheikh as drunk,” they said. After the incident, women of the area came out and held protest demonstration at the Budshah Bridge. They did not allow policemen to remove the vehicle from the scene.
Medical Superintendent SHMS Hospital, Dr Nazir Ahmad Chaudhary said the victim has sustained multiple injuries in both legs.
“His both legs have multiple injuries. We referred him to Bone and Joints Hospital in a critical condition,” Chaudhary told media men.
Soon after the incident JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, human rights activist international Forum For Justice Mohammad Ahsan Untoo and youth assembled at Budshah Chowk and sat on a sit-in. Yasin and Untoo were arrested.