The toll in Sunday’s shooting in Shopian district of south Kashmir rose to six after two more bodies were recovered on Monday, police said.
The body of one militant identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat from the Lashkar-e-Tabia (LeT) militant outfit, was recovered today from an orchard at Saidpora area. He was missing since November 13, 2017,” said a police spokesman.
He said the preliminary investigation suggests the death of the said militant was a part of the chain of incident at Pahnoo Shopian. “Further investigation is on.”
On Sunday, one militant and three civilians — who the army claimed were overground workers (OGWs) of militants — were killed in army firing after a mobile vehicle check post (MVCP) of 54 Rashtriya Rifles was fired at.
The body of another civilian, Gowhar Ahmad Lone, 24, was also found on Monday morning, some 250 metres away the gunfight site.
Lone, according to GNS news agency, was found dead behind the steering wheel of his car (bearing registration number JK01Q- 1723).
Last night, an army spokesman claimed that a militant and three overground workers of militants were killed in retaliatory action by army following an attack on a Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) of army’s 44 Rashtriya Rifles at Pahnoo.
However, the villagers refuted the army claim and said the three slain men were civilians and not OGWs.
“On Sunday evening militants attacked army vehicle in Pahnoo village. The army in retaliation killed a militant and later shot dead three civilians who were traveling in a car,” a local, wishing not to be named told Greater Kashmir.
They were identified as Suhail Khaleel Wagay of Pinjoora, Muhammad Shahid Khan of Malikgund and Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay of Trenz, all from Shopian district.
The slain militant, according to IGP Kashmir, was identified as Aamir Ahmad Malik of Harmain, Shopian.
Meanwhile, authorities have imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city to prevent protests called by the separatists against the killings.
Clashes have erupted at several places in Kashmir valley between protesters and the government forces.
Mobile Internet service was snapped in twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir while high-speed service was suspended across the valley.