Security forces killed three militants, including Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen Srinagar district commander Muhammad Ehsan Fazili alias Eesa, in Anantnag on Sunday night.
Amid violent protests, the authorities placed parts of Srinagar and south Kashmir under security restrictions. Educational institutions were closed and exams cancelled. Train services were suspended.
Police said, Fazili and two others were killed during a search operation.
The police identified the second slain militant as Syed Owais, an affiliate of the Hizbul Mujahideen, and a resident of Kokernag. “The identify of the third is being ascertained,” the police said adding that arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, pistols, hand grenades were recovered from the encounter site.
Fazili, a student of Bachelor of Technology of Baba Ghulam Shah University, had joined the militants in September last year and “was involved in a recent attack on a police guard post at Soura, in which one police constable was killed”, said the spokesman.
The policeman’s killing was also claimed by the Islamic State-affiliated news magazine ‘Amaq’, fuelling speculation about local militants’ links with the group.
Violent protests
Violent protests broke out as hundreds of locals participated in the funeral prayers of Fazili and Owais in Srinagar and Kokernag.
The protesters raised green and black flags. A few protesters unfurled the IS flags in the procession held for Fazili. They chanted pro-azadi and pro-militant slogans. Security forces used smoke shells to control the situation.
Clashes spread in large parts of Srinagar. Several vehicles were damaged by the stone-throwing protesters. Most offices and business centres also remained closed.
Top separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, were placed under house arrest.
