Three HizbulMujahideen militants and an army soldier died in a gunfight in the restive Pulwama district in southern Kashmir on Saturday, even as at least seven civilians including a teenager were killed and more than 20 others wounded when forces fired live ammunition on protesters who thronged the site of the encounter in large numbers.
A police official told Greater Kashmir that a joint team of army, Central Reserve Police Force and special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir police laid a siege around Sirnoo area in Pulwama town at around 8 am and started a search operation following “specific inputs” about the presence of militants there.
“As the searches were on, militants hiding in a hideout located amidst orchards between Sirnoo and Monghama villages opened fire on the forces. The fire was immediately returned, triggering a gunfight,” the official said.
Two army men suffered injuries in the initial exchange of fire but one of them later succumbed, he said, identifying the deceased soldier as Kishan Singh of army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles.
The official said the gun-battle continued for around four hours and ended with the killing of three HizbulMujahideen militants, who were later identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, a resident of Sirnoo (Pulwama), Adnan Hameed Bhat of Karimabad (Pulwama) and Bilal Ahmad Magray of Rajpora (Pulwama).
Before joining HizbulMujahideen, Thoker, according to the official, was working with army’s 173 territorial unit.
As the word about the gunfight spread, scores of youth rushed to the site of the gun-battle and started hurling stones and bricks on the forces in an attempt to hamper the anti-militancy operation, said another police official.
“Many civilians sustained injuries as forces fired live ammunition to chase away the protesters,” the official said, adding that seven protesters later succumbed to their injuries.
He identified the slain civilians as Suhail Rashid son of Abdul Rashid of Below; Touseef Ahmad Mir son of Muhammad Ahsan of Wrechrusu; Murtaza Ahmad Bhat (14) son of Bashir Ahmad of Prichoo; AbidHussain son of GhulamNabi of Karimabad; OwaisYousufNajar alias Shahbaz, son of Muhammad Yousuf of Monghama; Amir Ahmad Palla son of Muhammad Yousuf of Ashminder and LaiqatMajeed Dar son of Abdul Majeed of Parigam.
Medical superintendent of district hospital PulwamaDr Rashid Para told Greater Kashmir that they received 30 persons with both pellet and firearm injuries at the health facility.
“Of these, six were brought dead to the hospital, while one later succumbed to his injuries in a Srinagar hospital,” he said, adding that at least seven persons with firearm injuries were also referred to the general specialty SMHS hospital in Srinagar.
MASSIVE CLASHES
As the word about civilian killings spread, clashes between forces and youth broke out in several areas in neighbouring districts of Shopian and Kulgam.
Scores of youth in Shopian’sBonabazar area pelted forces with stones, even as a complete shutdown was observed in the town.
A spontaneous shutdown was also observed in areas falling under jurisdiction of Awantipora police district, a witness said.
A police official said that youth also clashed with forces in Traltownship, and some areas in Anantnag and Kulgam districts as well.
POLICE VERSION
In a statement, a police spokesman said a search operation was launched jointly by security forces, based on a credible input about presence of militants, in Monghama area of Sirnoo village in Pulwama on Saturday morning.
“During the search operation, in an open field with hideout made by the militants, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately, leading to an encounter. Consequently, army personnel got injured and one army soldier succumbed to his injury while others are being treated at a hospital,” the statement read, adding: “While the operation was going on, a crowd who (sic) came dangerously close from different parts to the encounter site got injured. The injured were evacuated to hospital where unfortunately seven persons succumbed to their injuries. Others who were admitted in the hospital are stated to be stable”.
“The loss of civilians is deeply grieved. Police once again appeals the citizens to remain away from encounter site as it is a prohibited zone which involves significant danger to life because of nature of the encounter,” the spokesman said, adding that in the Sirnoo encounter, three militants were killed and their bodies were handed over to the legal heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities.
“One of the killed militants has been identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thoker son of Abdul Majid Thoker, a resident of Sirnoo. Pertinently, Zahoor had deserted army last year and joined HizbulMujahideen outfit. He was a known militant commander and was wanted by law for his complicity in a series of militancy crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several cases were registered against him including case vide FIR No 139/2018 U/S 307 RPC 7/25 ULA of P/S Pulwama pertaining to the killing of policemen Aqib Ahmad Wagay of PuchalPulwama,” the statement read.
“Police have registered a case in the matter. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered from the site of encounter have been taken in case records for further investigation and probe their complicity in other cases,” the statement read.
ADVISOR KUMAR GRIEVED
Governor’s advisor K Vijay Kumar Saturday expressed “profound grief and deep regret” over the loss of civilian lives near an encounter site in Sirnoo, Pulwama.
“Kumar while extending heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their dear ones in today’s tragic incident said that he is in touch with the security forces and the civil society to know about the circumstances which led to these unfortunate killings,” an official spokesman said in a statement.