Two militants and a teenage boy were killed, and two girls critically injured during a gunfight between militants and government forces in Chaigund village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday.
An official at Public Health Centre Rajpora said that a 17-year-old boy identified as Shakir Ahmad Mir was declared dead on arrival at the facility. He was a resident of Qalampora village.
A source at Pulwama district hospital said that two girls with critical bullet injuries were brought to the facility.
He said the girls – both residents of Odoo village – were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment.
The girls were reportedly identified as Sumi Jan daughter of Ghulam Hassan Bhat and Sabreena, daughter of Hilal Ahmad Bhat.
Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said that two militants were killed in the gunfight.
He said: “In an encounter today at Chaigund Shopian, two militants have been neutralized and weapons recovered.”
“Unfortunately one boy was also killed in the cross-fire and two ladies sustained injuries. Search is still going on,” he said, in a tweet.
The slain militants were identified as Sameer Ahmad Wani of Odoo and Firdous Ahmad of Ganawpora.
Earlier, the gunfight erupted in the village after militants opened fire on forces who were conducting searches. Reports said the two militants were trapped inside the cordoned off area.
The Internet services were snapped in the twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama “to prevent the spreading of rumors”.
Police version
Meanwhile, a police handout said, on a specific information a joint party of Police Shopian, 44 RR and 14 Bn CRPF laid a cordon at Chaigund area of Shopian in South Kashmir today.
“The hiding militants under the clad of Burka tried to break cordon and fired indiscriminately on the search party. The security forces retaliated during which the Burka-clad militants were forced to go back into hiding.
“During indiscriminate firing by the militants and the retaliatory fire one civilian namely Shakir Ahmad Mir resident of Kalampora Pulwama got killed and two ladies namely Sabreena Jan and Sumi Jan both residents of Keegam Shopian received bullet injuries.
“The injured ladies were taken to SMHS hospital where from they were shifted to SKIMS Soura for specialised treatment,” it said.
“It is pertinent to mention here that the injuries are not the result of law & order situation as was initially reported by some media circles as Sumi Jan is a resident of the house in which the encounter is on and Sabreena Jan is a sister of HM militant Sameer Wani who is also reportedly holed up inside the house.
“So far one AK 47, one INSAS and two dead bodies of militants have been recovered from the encounter site, whose identities are being ascertained.
“Meanwhile, during initial phase of operation miscreants tried to disrupt the operation by heavy stone pelting on the security forces.
“Till filing of this report the operation was underway and further details will follow,” it said.