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Three Shia mourners were seriously injured when members of the state Special Operations Group opened fire on a procession at Magam village in central Budgam district on Monday afternoon.
Police sources said thousands of Shia mourners took out a procession shouting religious slogans on the seventh day of Muharram in Magam village on Monday afternoon.
At that time, some vehicles of the SOG reached the spot and sought passage. However, instead of waiting for the road to clear, they forced their way into the crowd.
However, without any warning, the SOG personnel opened fire in the air triggering panic among the villagers who ran for cover.
The SOG personnel then opened indiscriminate fire on the fleeing villagers seriously injuring three persons, who were immediately shifted to a hospital.
Two seriously injured persons, Akhtar Hussain Baba and Zaffar Ali, were shifted to Srinagar and their condition was stated to be serious, according to hospital sources.
Following this incident, more villagers joined the procession and blocked the highway.
The area was very tense and senior police officers rushed to the spot to pacify the crowds.
Sources said the agitated people were raising religious and pro-freedom slogans.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday evening ordered an enquiry into the incident. Sopore Superintendent of Police Shaukat Malik will head the probe.
Security in the Shia-dominated areas was further tightened.
Meanwhile, demonstrations were held in Tral, in south Kashmir, in protest against the alleged custodial killing of Ashiq Hussain whose body was handed to relatives on Sunday. The body bore torture marks.
ALSO SEE Government initiated ceasefire in J&K
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