SRINAGAR Two militants including a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander and a civilian were killed in a gunfight and ensuing clashes in Chidder village of Qaimoh Tehsil of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday. A local militant also surrendered during the gunfight, said police.
Sources said that gunfight started after a joint team of Army, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation at Cheddar area of Qaimoh following inputs about the presence of militants.
A Police official said that two militants have been killed and the third one has surrendered adding that the surrendered militant had joined the outfit some two months back.
The slain militants were identified as Shakoor Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Munawar Dar resident of Sopat Tengpora, the divisional commander of LeT and a Pakistani national Haider.
Shakoor was operating as divisional commander of militant outfit LeT. Several cases were registered against Shakoor in different police stations of South Kashmir; FIR 02/2017, u/s 121A, RPC, 7/25 Arms Act at PS Devsar, FIR 260/2017, u/s 302 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act at PS Qazigund, FIR 275/2017 u/s 16, 18 ULA at PS Qazigund, FIR 306/2017 u/s 120B, 307 RPC, 7/25 Arms Act at PS Qazigund, FIR 307/2017 u/s 120B, 7/27 Arms Act, 13, 16, 18, 39 ULA at PS Qazigund. He was involved in a number of attacks on security establishments in the area, said a police statement.
One local militant whose identity is being protected, surrendered at the encounter site before the authorities and security forces strictly followed SOP while conducting the operation. This militant is in the custody of police, added police statement.
Meanwhile, intense clashes between government forces and protesters erupted near the encounter site soon after the encounter started in Chadder area of Qaimoh.
A 23-year-old youth was killed during the intense clashes between protesters and government forces near the encounter site.
Sources said that Yawar Ahmad Dar (23) son of Ghulam Ahmad Dar, a resident of Gasipora Wanpoh, sustained a critical bullet wound in his chest in forces action during the clashes near the site of a gun battle.
He was shifted to District Hospital Anantnag- the neighbouring district where doctors declared him dead on arrival, they said.
Hospital authorities also confirmed the death of the youth. They said that the youth had received serious firearm injury.
Over a dozen protesters have been injured during clashes near the encounter site.
Locals of the area also alleged that the forces ransacked several residential houses and beaten scores of people including women. (With Inputs From GNS)
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