Two civilians, five militants, two troopers killed in south Kashmir encounters
Curfew imposed in Pulwama, protestors clash with forces
Pulwama/Shopian: Two civilians and five militants and two troopers were killed in two separate encounters in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama districts, police said Thursday.
A police spokesperson said that following a tip off about the presence of militants in Dalipora area of Pulwama a cordon and search operation was launched by joint column of troops 55RR, CRPF and SOG of Police.
“As the search was initiated in the area the militants hiding inside a suspect house fired indiscriminately on security forces which triggered an encounter. During the evacuating process of civilians from neighbouring houses of the targeted house one army jawan Sepoy Sandeep Singh was killed while as two other army men were injured and one civilian identified as Rayees Ahmad Dar also lost his life” said a police spokesperson.
“As forces retaliated to the hiding militants a fierce gunfight ensued during which all the three militants held in the house were killed. Later their bodies were later recovered near the encounter site” the police spokesperson said, adding that the slain militants were identified as Naseer Pandith, of Kareemabad village Pulwama, Umar Mir of Bhartipora village Shopian and Khalid a top commander of the Jaish group. Kahlid is a Pak resident.
He said according to police records the slain trio were affiliated with Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit.
“They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of crimes, including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several cases were registered against them,” he said.
Pandith had a long history of militancy related incidents and was involved in the killing of a policeman Mohammad Yaqoob Shah of Pulwama in 2018 on the eve of Eid, police said. He was also involved in some weapon snatching incidents reported from the area besides several cases were registered against him for his activities including case FIR No 30/15 & 277/14 under NDPS Act and case FIR No 25/16 pertaining to forgery, said the spokesman.
Similarly, Khalid who was operating as a top commander of JeM was involved in several attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area, he said.
According to police officials Naseer Ahmad Pandith, alias Saifullah son of Mohammad Rajab Pandith resident of Kareemabad village of Pulwama district had joined JeM ranks on 10th November, 2018.
“Umar Ahmad Mir, aka Abu Dujahana son of Ali Mohammad Mir resident of Bhartipora village of Shoipan district had joined JeM ranks on 17 April, 2018” he said.
“The slain civilian Rayees Ahmad Dar, 25, son Jalal-udin Dar had received multiple bullet injuries on the body and was declared brought dead to district hospital Pulwama” said a hospital official.
“Slain Rayees’s elder brother Younis has also received bullet injury on right thigh and was treated at district hospital Pulwama” he added.
According to a local resident of Dalipora village slain Rayees is a native of Pakherpora village of Budgam district and was staying here in Dalipora village with his elder brother who is running a plywood shop in Pulwama town.
“Before slain Rayees was shifted to his native village Pakherpora for last rites, one funeral prayer was held at Dalipora village and hundreds of people participated in the funeral prayers,” locals said.
According to a local of Kareemabad village people in thousands participated in multiple rounds of funeral prayers of the slain Pandith at his native village which is just 3 kms away from the town.
Soon after the gunfight broke out in the town authorities clamped curfew while announcing it on loudspeakers and requested people to remain indoors till further orders.
Meanwhile, in the wake of killing of three militants, all shops and business establishments remained closed in Shopian district. Internet services were also suspended in police district Pulwama by the authorities.
Elsewhere, in a separate encounter two militants, a civilian and an army man were killed and an army soldier was injured in an encounter with government forces at Handew area of Shopian district.
The encounter broke out after a joint team of army’s 44 RR, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon and search operations Thursday afternoon at Handew village.
A police officer said that three militants were killed in the gunfight and an army soldier sustained bullet injuries during the operation. The soldier was rushed to Army base hospital in Srinagar where according to sources the soldier succumbed to injuries.
However, police later said that two militants were killed and bodies were recovered as well.
“One among the slain is a civilian Ishtaq Ahmad Bhat @ Zubair S/O Dawood Ahmad Bhat R/O Handew Shopian” an official said.
The officer said that the bodies of the slain militants have been recovered along with arms and ammunition.
The officer identified the slain as Shakeel Ahmad Dar alias Abu Wasif son of Abdul Gani Dar of Tukroo, Shopian, Shakir Ahmad Paul alias Owais Amin Baie son of Abdul Ganie Paul of Molu Dangerpora. The slain were affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, the officer said.
He said that the slain were involved in number of attacks in parts of South Kashmir.
After conducting all legal formalities, the bodies of the slain were later handed over to their respective families for last rites, the officer said.
Following the gunfight, youth took to streets and pelted stones on forces. The police and paramilitary forces used tear smoke shells to disperse them.
In another encounter militants and government forces exchanged gunfire in Kandi forests of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
Reports said that a joint team of army’s 47 RR, 28 RR and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation at Portel Nad and Razdan Nad – upper reaches of Kandi connecting Lolab forests.
Reports said that there was heavy firing in the forests while the joint team launched searches in the area.
An army officer said that the operation was launched in the woods following intelligence inputs about the movement of suspected militants in the area.
He said that the contact was established soon after the forces challenged the movement of the group of militants in the forests.
SSP Kupwara Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar also confirmed that exchange of gunfire between militants and forces. He said that searches in the area are still going on.
Jahangeer Ganaie
