Web Desk: A protest organised by the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) turned violent in Dadyal on Sunday after demonstrators and police exchanged gunfire, leaving one police officer injured and one protester dead, according to police officials.
Authorities said several hundred JAAC supporters gathered at Amb Chowk in Dadyal to stage a protest. Police personnel deployed to disperse the crowd encountered resistance as the situation escalated into violence.
Police said some protesters opened fire on officers, prompting security personnel to fire warning shots into the air in an attempt to restore order. During the exchange, Intelligence Bureau Inspector Umar sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. Rescue teams shifted him to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dadyal, where officials said he was in stable condition.
Police added that one protester was killed during the confrontation. Authorities transferred the body to the District Headquarters Hospital and said legal procedures were underway.
Separately, local reports also indicated that armed individuals attacked a police check post in Dadyal, injuring a police officer. Emergency responders transported the wounded officer to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Meanwhile, a separate pro-Pakistan peace march organized by the OSU took place in Mirpur without incident.
Organisers estimated that between 800 and 1,000 people attended the rally. Participants denounced the recent actions of the JAAC and voiced support for peace, public order and stability in the region.
The latest violence comes amid heightened political tensions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir following the recent arrest of JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir. His detention triggered protests in several parts of the region, with supporters demanding his release and raising concerns over the government’s handling of the movement.
Authorities have increased security deployments in several districts as demonstrations continue. Officials have not yet announced whether additional arrests have been made in connection with Sunday’s violence. The circumstances surrounding the exchange of gunfire remain under investigation.
Read more: Civil society rallies in Mirpur and Leepa valley, condemn banned JAAC
