Indian troops open fire on civilian, assault another in Poonch
Jammu: Indian troops opened fire on a civilian and assaulted another in the Poonch district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leaving both men injured.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident occurred during a night patrol by the Rashtriya Rifles troops in a village in the Mendhar area of the district.
The shooting victim, identified as 39-year-old Mohammad Saleem, was struck by a bullet in his left foot. Saleem, a resident of Madana-Surankote and a tractor driver by profession, was shot near Sanghiote village on Tuesday night. He was immediately rushed to a hospital by his colleagues, where his condition was described as stable.
Locals reported that Saleem, along with several laborers, was engaged in construction work on the Bhata Dhurian-Chittibatti road when the incident occurred. The shooting took place when he stepped out of his rented accommodation. They also said that another laborer, identified as 34-year-old Murtaza Ahmad, was beaten up by the troops, leaving him injured.
The incident serves as yet another tragic reminder of the brutalities faced by civilians at the hands of Indian troops in IIOJK. The fact that Saleem was shot while simply stepping outside his accommodation, and that Murtaza was brutally assaulted, highlights the extreme vulnerability of ordinary Kashmiris under military occupation. These actions not only reflect the harsh reality of life for civilians in the territory but also underscore the pervasive climate of fear and insecurity that prevails as a result of the ongoing Indian troops’ presence.
