Srinagar, Sep 27: Three militants and a soldier were Thursday killed in separate gunfights, while a civilian was killed during a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in Srinagar.
The day started with a Cordon and Search Operation in Qamarwari in the outskirts of Srinagar where one civilian was killed and hours later one militant and an army man were killed in an encounter at Gasigund Anantnag and two militants were killed in yet another gun fight at Panzan Budgam.
A civilian identified as Saleem Malik son of Mohammad Yaqoob Malik was killed in Noor Bagh area of Srinagar.
According to the police officials, forces on a specific tip off cordoned a cluster of houses where the hiding militants fired indiscriminately, resulting in death of Saleem Malik. Officials said that the investigation has been initiated in the case.
In the wee hours of this morning, encounter broke out in Gasigund village of Dooru in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district after a joint search operation was launched by the government forces.
Police officials said that the search operation in Gasigund village resulted in a gunfight. “In the ensuing encounter, a local militant identified as Asif Malik who was operating as commander of LeT was killed,” officials said.
Police officials added that force personnel identified as Happy Singh of 19 RR was also killed in the encounter.
They said that incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the gunfight site.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between youth and forces during the encounter, which resulted in injuries to scores of people who were either treated locally or shifted to hospitals for treatment.
Meanwhile, in another similar encounter at Panzan area of Chadoora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, two militants affiliated with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were killed.
The slain militants according to the police were hiding in the Masjid when they engaged forces in the gunfight.
The officials identified the two slain militants as Sheeraz Ahmad Bhat resident of Kralwari Chadoora and Irfan Ahmad Dar resident of Kakapora Pulwama.
Police said that Irfan Ahmad Dar was working as SPO and had deserted a couple of months ago.
They said that the gunfight broke out after the militants fired upon a search party from a nearby Masjid.
“The local Auqaf Committee was engaged to convince the militants to come out. Forces also appealed them to come out, but, the militants refused the offer and consequently the operation had to be carried out in a deliberate manner keeping intact the sanctity of the Masjid,” police officials said.
Police said that in this operation, one forces personnel also sustained bullet injuries and was evacuated to hospital for medical treatment.
Reports said that clashes also broke out in Panzan area during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the stone throwing youth.
Meanwhile, thousands of people attended the funeral prayers of a civilian and the slain militants. People raised pro-freedom slogans during the funeral procession of a civilian who was laid to rest at Eidgah.
At least nine youth sustained pellet injuries during the clashes between forces and militants in different areas of Kashmir.
Clashes erupted between youth and forces in Srinagar City, Panzan area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district and Dooru area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district after the gunfights broke out in the areas, resulting in the killing of tree militants, an Army man and a civilian at separate locations.
During the clashes, nine youth sustained pellet injuries.
Eight out of nine have received pellet injuries in Srinagar while as one received the injuries in Panzan area of Budgam.
All the injured youth were shifted to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for advanced treatment.
