Militant killed, another injured in Pulwama encounter

Pulwama, Oct 13: A militant was killed in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district early Saturday morning.
Reports said that after receiving inputs about the presence of at least three militants in Dalipora Babgund area of Pulwama district, the government forces brought the hamlet under siege and zeroed in on the house of one Muhammad Shafi.
The militant present in the house resorted to indiscriminate firing while in retaliation army soldiers from 55 Rashtriya Rifles, SOG Pulwama, 182 and 183 Battalion CRPF killed a local militant, whom police identified as Shabir Ahmed alias Ahsan of Samboora Pampora.
If sources are to be believed, the army soldier-turned-militant, Zahoor Ahmed Thokar, managed to escape from the spot along with a critically injured militant Showkat Nazir Dar of Muran Pulwama.
Sources added that Zahoor handed over Showkat to a group of local women, who shifted him to Primary Health Centre Newa. Keeping the condition of Showkat in view, he was referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar.
As per reports, Showkat was admitted by some unknown men and women at SMHS, who wrote his name as Bashir Ahmad in the hospital registry.
According to a doctor, Dar received a bullet wound in his abdomen which severely damaged his internal organs. The doctor said his condition was very critical.
He said that police has taken cognizance and further action was being taken.
A police spokesperson, briefing about the operation, said that government forces, in the early morning hours of Saturday, launched a cordon and search operation in Kangan area of district Pulwama based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
During the search operation, the spokesperson added, militants fired on the search party leading to an encounter.
“In the ensuing encounter one militant was eliminated. He was identified as Shabir Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Sangri, Samboora, Pampore. He was affiliated with militant outfit LeT,” the spokesperson said.
“In this operation, no collateral damage took place besides incriminating materials including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter. Moreover, one suspect who was part of a same militant group that was engaged in encounter at Pulwama has been admitted to a hospital in Srinagar with a bullet injury. Police is ascertaining his identity and other related facts of the incident. A case has been registered and investigation initiated in the instant matter,” the spokesperson said.
Reports quoting police sources said that an AK-47 rifle and 3 magazines were recovered from the spot.
Eyewitnesses said that clashes erupted even during the middle of the night between protesters and Forces. The sound of bullets and tear smoke shells created panic in the area. The house was damaged completely in the gunfight while authorities deployed army soldiers in the town to enforce declared curfew.
Reports said that clashes erupted in Newa, Kakapora and main town of Pulwama where Forces used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters who raised pro-freedom slogans.
Thousands of people participated in the last rites of slain militant Shabir Ahmed at his native Samboora village. Men, women, children and old assembled at local ground to have the last glimpse of the slain militant.