Boy dead, 25 injured as protests rock Kupwara

A teenaged boy died after sustaining a bullet wound and 25 people were injured as violent protests continued for a third day in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir against the alleged desecration of a mosque and the Quran and subsequent firing by the Army.

Javid Ahmad Malik, a class 10 student, was killed, allegedly when police and paramilitary forces opened fire to disperse agitated protestors at Trehgam, 96 km from Srinagar, after some security personnel were manhandled by them, officials said.

None of the other injured, including 10 security men, had received bullet injuries, they said, but were hurt in the clashes which were going on since morning.

The security forces fired warning shots after teargassing and using batons proved ineffective in dispersing the protestors who threw stones and tried to march towards the district headquarters in violation of prohibitory orders, they said.

Confirming that security personnel opened fire, Kupwara Deputy Commissioner Abdul Majid Khanday said police and paramilitary personnel were attacked by the violent mobs and "had to open fire in self-defence."

He described the situation in the area as tense, adding, "There are elements who do not want the situation to return to normal". Efforts are being made to restore order, he said.