Constable injured as service rifle goes off accidentally

A policeman was today injured when his service rifle went off accidentally in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

Constable Abhay Koul received bullet injuries in his right foot when his INSAS rifle went off accidentally at Awantipora, 30 kms from here on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, a police officer said.

He said the injured policeman, posted at the local police station, was immediately shifted to hospital.

Koul was part of a market checking squad and the accidental firing caused brief panic in the highway township as some people started running fearing militant attack, the officer said.

Normal activities, however, resumed once the clear situation emerged, he said.