Poonch, Dec 11: A 39-year-old man was injured on Tuesday night after Rashtriya Rifles troops reportedly opened fire during a night patrol in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. The incident occurred around 9 pm in Sanghiote village, where the troops, observing suspicious movements, fired shots, hitting the man in his left foot.
The injured, identified as Mohd Saleem, a resident of Madana-Surankote and a tractor driver by profession, was immediately shifted to a hospital, where his condition was reported as stable, officials said.
Locals claimed that Saleem, along with other laborers, was working on the Bhata Dhurian-Chittibatti road construction project and had stepped out of his rented accommodation when the incident took place. In addition to Saleem’s injury, the locals alleged that another laborer, Murtaza Ahmad, aged 34, was beaten by the troops, resulting in injuries.
The officials confirmed that the troops were on a scheduled night patrol when they observed the suspicious movements, which led to the firing. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.
