Sunday, July 24 2005 16:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Three teenaged boys who inadvertently walked into an ambush laid by security forces in Kupawara area were killed in the small hours by the forces who mistook them to be militants, police said.

Security forces who had laid ambush at Bagargund, 90 kms from here (Srinagar), fired on four teenaged boys around 2' O clock, killing three of them and injuring another, the police said.

Admitting it to be a case of mistaken identity, Kupwara Suprintendent of Police, Sunit Dutt told PTI over phone that in the darkness identity of the victims could not be ascertained.

The ambush, he said, was laid in the same place where movement of militants was common, and two militants were killed about 15 days ago.

Those killed were identified as Bilal Ahmad Sheikh, a fifth class student, Wasim Ahmad Wani, a sixth class student and Manzoor Ahmad Shah while the injured boy's name is Shabir Ahmad Shah.

The killings triggered violent protests with villagers from Bagargund, Trehgam and Vilgam taking to streets. They said the boys had come to attend a marriage in the village and were killed when they had gone out to ease themselves. The security personnel fired on them without any provocation, the residents alleged.

Senior adminstration and police officials rushed to the village to calm the agitated villagers who are demanding an inquiry into the incident and action against the erring personnel, official sources said.