Three militants, schoolboy killed in Pulwama encounter

Srinagar, Jun 29: Three militants and a boy in his mid-teens were killed during an encounter in Pulwama district on Friday. The gunfight broke out between militants and government forces at Chatpora area of the district. SSP Pulwama Mohammad Aslam Choudhary said a joint team of army’s 55 RR, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation following specific information about the presence of some militants at Thamuna village adjacent to Chatpora near main town Pulwama. As the forces approached the suspected spot and fired some warning shots towards it, the militants fired upon them triggering off a firefight, SSP said. He said that all the three militants have been killed and their identity is being ascertained. Meanwhile, sources said that the forces blasted the house and razed it into the rubble. Soon after the news about the encounter spread, a large number of youth took to streets and tried to march towards the encounter site. However, the forces used tear smoke shells to disperse them. The youth pelted stones on the forces resulting into the clashes, reports said. A youth was killed and several were injured in the clashes. The killed youth was identified as Faizan Ahmad, 14, who was hit on his chest. Faizan, a resident of Ladhoo village was class 9 student at MEI Pampore, Faizan Ahmad.