Dogripora gunfight: 2 children ‘hit by pellets’ during protests

As the word about the gunfight spread, the villagers came out and starting pelting stones on the forces who in turn resorted to aerial and pellet firing to disperse them, witnesses said.

File Photo

Two children sustained pellet injuries as forces used pellets to disperse protesters who tried to break a cordon during a gunfight in Dogripora area of Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, witnesses and reports said.
“Two militants hiding in a residential house in Dogripora village fired upon a joint team of army’s 55 RR and Special Operations Group of Police which had laid a search operation in the area,” a police official said. He said the forces retaliated and the firing continued for some time.
As the word about the gunfight spread, the villagers came out and starting pelting stones on the forces who in turn resorted to aerial and pellet firing to disperse them, witnesses said.
Two children were injured and rushed to Sub District Hospital Bijbehara. They were identified as 12-year-old Iqra Jan d/o Muhammad Rafiq Dar and 17-year-old Ovais Ahmad son of Muhammad Yousuf Dar, both from Dogripora.
The duo, a doctor said, had pellet injuries and were shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, firing has stopped and militants might have given slip to forces, a source said.
Talking to Greater Kashmir SP Awantipora Muhammad Irshad said civilians were injured by a mirror.
“Actually locals rushed for safety after firing and it caused a minor stampede during which two children fell on a mirror and were injured,” he claimed.
He said searches in the area are on to nab the militants.

By: KHALID GUL