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.
A health 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.
Health sources at Pulwama district hospital said that two girls with critical bullet injuries were brought to the facility.
He said that 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 have been killed in the gunfight.
“In an encounter today at Saigund Shopian,” he said, two militants have been “neutralised and weapons have been 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, a gunfight erupted in the village after militants opened fire on forces who were conducting searches. Reports said that two militants are trapped inside the cordoned off area.
Meanwhile, Internet services were snapped in the twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama “to prevent the spreading of rumours”.