Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 17: Seven persons were injured after a dispute over irrigation water between two villages in Shopian turned violent, and police used teargas shells to disperse the fighting villagers.
The canal water is shared by two villages Reban and Khojepora in Zainapora area of the Shopian district to irrigate their farmland.
Facing water scarcity, the villagers divided the canal to consume its water for irrigating their land. Both the villages were demanding more water which gave rise first to scuffle between some men and later rose into clashes.
Six of the injured have been shifted to Zainapora Hospital and the man with critical injury was shifted to District Hospital Anantnag. He has been identified as Sabzar Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Hassan Dar of Reban.
A police official said as soon as police rushed to the spot, the fighting groups started pelting stones on them and police fired tear smoke shells to disperse them.
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