MUZAFFARABAD: Indian troops targeted a wedding ceremony in a border village of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, leaving one person injured, an official and residents said.

The victim was identified as 50-year old Mohammad Safeer, a resident of Madarpur village of Battal sector in Poonch district.

“Indian troops resorted to burst firing which created panic in the ceremony, as people fled in different directions to save their lives, said Malick Zulfiqar, a local journalist.

Mr Safeer was doing domestic chores when he fell victim to Indian firing, he added.

Mohammad Safeer was taken to Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahayan Hospital in Rawalakot, the journalist said.

Poonch deputy commissioner Raja Tahir Mumtaz also confirmed injury to a man in Madarpur due to “unprovoked” Indian firing.

Madarpur is the same place where participants of a march organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front on Friday were adamant to reach, but were stopped by the administration of Poonch district some 3km away from it.

“Today’s incident has endorsed our apprehensions,” Mr Mumtaz said.

“Had we not stopped the marchers (on Friday) in Sehar village, there could have been some bigger tragedies like the one we saw today,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2018