A Hizbul Mujahideen militant died in a gunfight with government forces in Larnoo village of Kokernag area in Anantnag district on Tuesday, even as a civilian was killed in army firing at Khudwani area in Kulgam district, the police and witnesses said.
The police identified the slain militant as Farhan Ahmad Wani and said that his associate Ashraf Khan alias Mansoor Moulvi, the district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, was also injured during the gunfight but managed to escape from the spot.
A source told Greater Kashmir that Ashraf Khan received a bullet injury in his shoulder and managed to flee from the gunfight site. Ashraf is considered as a recycled militant and a close aide of slain Lashkar commander, Bashir Lashkari.
Deputy inspector general of police (south Kashmir range) S P Pani said that the firefight began after government forces including the police, army’s Rashtriya Rifles and the central reserve police force launched a joint operation following “specific inputs” about presence of militants in Larnoo.
“During the search operation, the militants hiding at a particular place fired on the forces, which was retaliated to, triggering a gunfight,” he said.
In the evening, the director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid told this newspaper that body of one militant was recovered during searches, while another militant managed to give a slip to forces in an injured condition.
“We have received the body of one militant namely Farhan Ahmad Wani of Redwani, Khudwani area of district Kulgam, while another injured militant, the Hizb district commander from Anantnag Ashraf Khan, managed to escape from the area. Searches are on to nab him,” Vaid said.
The gunfight started at 9 am and continued for some hours.
The source said that at least three militants managed to escape from the gunfight site as they took the advantage of dense forests around.
Earlier during the day, the army claimed that two Hizb militants were killed in the gunfight.
A Srinagar-based army spokesman claimed that two militants were killed in the operation. However the police refuted the army version.
Locals at Larnoo Kokernag said that since morning, they heard heavy exchange of fire from both sides at an adjoining forest area.
Choppers were pressed into service and para-troopers called in during the operation, an official said.
The forces used rocket launchers to blow up the forest area where the militants were believed to be holed up, he said.
CIVILIAN KILLED IN KULGAM
A 22-year-old civilian was killed in army firing in Khudwani area of Kulgam district on Tuesday, locals said. He was identified as Khalid Ahmed Dar, 22 from Ghat village of Khudwani. His body was handed over to the family for the last rites in the evening and thousands of people participated in his funeral prayers, amid protests and clashes, a witness said.
Additional director general of police, Muneer Ahmad Khan said that a civilian was killed “when people attacked Khudwani army camp with stones.”
“The forces stationed inside the camp fired upon them, resulted in the killing of one civilian,” he said.
CLASHES DURING GUNFIGHT
As the word about the killing of a militant spread in various areas of Anantnag and Kulgam districts, hundreds of youth assembled at various places and started pelting stones on forces to disrupt the anti-militancy operation. Youth were shouting pro-freedom and anti-government slogans, a witness said.
Announcements were also made by protestors in nearby mosques, asking others to come out and protest, the witness said, adding that the protesters blocked the road leading to Pahlipora Larnoo forests in Kokernag.
The forces, he said, fired several shots in the air to disperse the protesters.
As the word about the killing of Farhan spread in his native Kulgam district, people came out on streets and pelted stones on forces.
During the clashes, at least three youth suffered serious injuries and were taken to district hospital Anantnag where one of them, later identified as Khalid Ahmed Dar (22) s/o Abdus Salam succumbed to his injuries.
Following the Kokernag gunfight, the authorities suspended the mobile internet services in Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
POLICE VERSION ON KULGAM KILLING
In a statement, a spokesman of the police said: “Two civilians sustained bullet injuries when a mob pelted stones on the army camp located at Kudwani. Reportedly some unidentified militants from the mob also fired some shots towards the army camp.”
“In the said incident one civilian namely Khalid Ahmed Dar (22) who received a bullet injury on his neck succumbed at DH Anantnag. The other one namely Yasir Ahmed Dar (30) of Khudwani with shoulder injury is stated to be stable. In this connection case FIR no 5/2018 has been registered at P/S Kulgam and investigation has been set into motion,” the spokesman said.
Pertinently, the militant killed at Larnoo gunfight was from Khadwani area.
“Separately, a road accident took place at Vessu where a BSF vehicle hit a civilian who was also from the same area. The BSF driver and vehicle have been taken into custody with the help of BSF officials. Police is investigating all the cases,” the spokesman said.
POLICE VERSION ON KOKERNAG GUNFIGHT
“The militant killed in Kokernag was a hardcore stone-pelter and a case FIR number 45/17 of Kulgam under section 147, 148, 149, 336, 332, 307 RPC was registered against him. He was also involved in many anti-national/social and unlawful activities. Cases under section 10, 11, 13 ULAP Act have already been registered against him in police station Kulgam,” the spokesman said.