Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed and another surrendered as security forces jointly launched an anti-militancy operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Sunday. One civilian also died and scores were injured in the clashes that followed the encounter.
“Two terrorists, including ‘divisional commander’ Shakir Dar, were killed in the Kulgam operation. One surrendered with arms and ammunition before the security forces,” said Director-General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid.
Dar had joined the LeT just two months ago. The second slain militant, Haider, is believed to be a foreign militant, said the police.
The group was trapped by the joint party of the Army, CRPF and the police in a residential area of Chidder village in Qaimoh tehsil on Sunday afternoon.
The encounter sparked a wave of clashes in Kulgam. A civilian, Yawar Ahmad Dar, a resident of Gasipora Wanpoh, was injured near the encounter site and was declared dead in the hospital. Hospital sources said the youth had suffered “firearm injury.”
Many protesters were hospitalised after being hit by pellets and smoke shells fired by the security forces to contain the situation. Locals alleged that the security forces indulged in “damage to public property during the clashes.”
The operation was the second major offensive of the security forces against the hiding militants since Governor's rule was imposed on June 19 in J&K. On Friday, four Islamic State militants were killed in Anantnag.
On the surrender of a local militant at the encounter site, a Srinagar-based Army spokesman said, “All local terrorists will be given an opportunity to surrender during the operation.”
In a separate operation, two supporters of the Hizbul Mujahideen were arrested at a check point in Anantnag. “One live grenade was recovered from their possession,” said the spokesman.
Injured youth dies
Another youth, Shahid Nazir Hajam from Anantnag’s Sirhama village, who sustained bullet injuries, died at the SKIMS hospital in Srinagar on Sunday. The killing of four Islamic State affiliates in Srigufwara on Friday had sparked protests, which left one civilian dead and over 20 injured.
The separatists’ forum, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik on Sunday demanded an “impartial probe by UNHRC or by some international agency into the Machil encounter”, where three youth were killed on June 6.
“They were killed in mysterious circumstances. We also demand for their burials as per religious rites but this was denied,” said a JRL spokesman.
