Paramilitary troopers killed and wounded in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A paramilitary trooper belonging to India's Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was killed and another wounded in a firing incident in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Thursday.

While SSB officials say it was a militant attack, the police views the incident as an apparent case of fratricide.

The incident took place Wednesday evening in Banihal area of Ramban district, about 107 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"An SSB head constable was killed and another injured when unidentified militants fired upon SSB troops near Jawahar Tunnel," SSB officials said, adding "the paramilitary troopers were returning from tunnel security duty."

However, region's police chief Shesh Paul Vaid told media the incident looked like a case of fratricide.

"One of them had a blunt object pierced into his face while the other died of a bullet wound. They were out on patrol when the incident happened. It looks like they might have had a scuffle between them," Vaid was quoted by a local newspaper Kashmir Reader as saying.

He added the case was being investigated.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)