Video on PDP MLA Mohammad Ashraf Mir stokes controversy

SRINAGAR: PDP MLA Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who scored a victory over Omar Abdullah from Sonawar Assembly seat, has stoked a controversy after a video surfaced purportedly showing him firing several rounds from an automatic rifle on the day of Assembly poll results.

The video, which has gone viral on social networking applications like WhatsApp, shows the People's Democratic Party leader purportedly firing several rounds in air from an AK-47 rifle at his residence.

However, Mir denied having fired any rounds and accused his political rivals of producing a doctored video.

"I did not fire any rounds ... there was a commotion following my victory and the rifle of one of my PSOs (personal security officer) fell on ground which I retrieved and handed it back to him," Mir told PTI.

Mir defeated Omar from Sonawar assembly segment by a margin of over 4,700 votes, becoming the first politician in Jammu and Kashmir to register a victory over an incumbent Chief Minister.