Srinagar/Shopian: On Sunday afternoon, a few shots rang out near a long bridge connecting south Kashmir’s Shopian’s Turkwangam village with Lassipora, an industrial area in neighbouring Pulwama district.
Soon the villagers on either side of the bridge came to know about the killing of Shoiab Ahamd Ganie, a civilian killed in cross firing between security forces and terrorists in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Sunday, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.
Shoaib was running a grocery store.
Police said that Ganie received grievous bullet injuries after terrorists opened fire on joint party of police and CRPF who were in the area for a search operation. Police said he was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his grievous injuries.
Ganie, a resident of Turkwangam who deals in automobile accessories was performing ablution when the bullets pierced his body.
According to police, militants opened fire on a joint patrol party of CRPF’s 182Bn and SOG near the bridge and Ganie was caught in cross-fire. Ganie suffered bullet wounds and was immediately rushed to a hospital where he died of his injuries, said the police.
However, Shahid Ahmad, elder brother of Ganie alleged that his brother was shot dead by CRPF men without any provocation.
“He was performing ablution to offer his noon prayers when a CRPF man opened fire upon him”, said Ahmad.
He claimed that he himself was near the site, when the incident occurred.
Ganie(19) had set up a shop, a few years ago in the area, to eke out a living selling car accessories. “In the morning, he opened his shop as usual, but little did he know that he would not be alive to close it in the evening”, said a local resident letting out a doleful sigh.
Meanwhile, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar in a Tweet said. “Terrorist fired upon joint patrol party of CRPF-182 Bn/SOG of Pulwama near the bridge connecting Litter, Pulwama with Turkwangam, Shopian. During the exchange of fire between terrorist and our joint team, one civilian namely Shoib Ahmad Ganie S/O Gh Mohd R/O Turkwangam, Shopian got injured and was referred to District Hospital, Pulwama for treatment where he succumbed to injuries. Terrorists after brief chance encounter managed to slip into nearby orchards. Searches are still going on. Case has been registered and investigated taken up: IGP Kashmir.”
Police said about 1:10 pm, terrorists indiscriminately fired up on patrolling party of Police and CRPF at Turkwangam-Litter area, a district border between Pulwama and Shopian.During the crossfire one civilian was seriously wounded. Senior police officers along with reinforcement reached at the encounter site.
Officers learnt that terrorists had indiscriminately fired upon joint patrolling party of CRPF (182Bn) and SOG of Pulwama near the bridge connecting Litter, Pulwama with Turkwangam, Shopian. During the exchange of fire between terrorists and joint team of forces, one civilian identified as Shoib Ahmad Ganai son of Ghulam Ahmad Ganai resident of Turkwangam, Shopian received critical gunshot injuries. Although the injured civilian was immediately evacuated to the hospital for the treatment of his injuries, he succumbed to his injuries. The terrorists after brief chance encounter managed to slip into nearby orchards.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and initiated investigation. The whole area has been cordoned off with the help of reinforcement and search in the area is going on.
Slain Ganie’s brother Shahid said that he did not know how he was killed, whether he was targeted or caught in cross-fire, but his death ruined his family.
“Although Ganie has three more brothers, he was the key bread earner in the family”, he added.
As the news about the killing of Ganie spread, the entire village sank into grief. The women in the area piled out of their homes and beat their chest, shedding bucket loads of tears. “The killing has left everyone in the village devastated. No one could sleep tonight “, said a wailing woman.