Two Lashkar militants, civilian killed in Pulwama encounter
SRINAGAR: Two alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and a teenage civilian were killed in an encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
The militants killed at the spot, as per the preliminary reports, have been identified as Jehangir Ahmad Ganaie, and Muhammad Shafat Shergujri. Police had brought the family members—wife and son--of Gujri to the encounter spot to persuade him to surrender. But he refused and vowed to continue to fight. The civilian killed has been identified as Amir Nazir of Beegambagh Pulwama. J&K police chief SP Vaid has confirmed that the two militants and a civilian were killed.
The encounter started around 7:30am when a joint team of 55 Rashtriya Rifles, the CRPF and the Special Operations Group of J&K police cordoned Padgampora village of Awantipora, around 40 kms from Srinagar.
The government has suspended Srinagar-Banihal train services as railway tracks pass near the encounter spot. Besides, locals from the nearby villages have started marching towards the site and clashes broke out at several places.
Law and order situation erupting at the encounter sites has emerged as a major problem for government forces, in the wake of which, Army Chief Bipin Rawat stated that the civilian protestors obstructing encounters, would be treated as ‘over ground workers of militants’ dealt with ‘harshly’ and army could go ‘helter-skelter.’ The statement triggered a political controversy and Rawat was criticized both in J&K and Delhi.
According to official figures, 29 Armymen, including 15 in snow avalanches and 26 militants have been killed this year, till now. The police figures claim that around 100 locals have joined militant ranks in last year and 59 of them joined after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed along with his two colleagues on July 8 last year. More than 60 weapons have been snatched from police and other government forces in 2016.
The militants killed at the spot, as per the preliminary reports, have been identified as Jehangir Ahmad Ganaie, and Muhammad Shafat Shergujri. Police had brought the family members—wife and son--of Gujri to the encounter spot to persuade him to surrender. But he refused and vowed to continue to fight. The civilian killed has been identified as Amir Nazir of Beegambagh Pulwama. J&K police chief SP Vaid has confirmed that the two militants and a civilian were killed.
The encounter started around 7:30am when a joint team of 55 Rashtriya Rifles, the CRPF and the Special Operations Group of J&K police cordoned Padgampora village of Awantipora, around 40 kms from Srinagar.
The government has suspended Srinagar-Banihal train services as railway tracks pass near the encounter spot. Besides, locals from the nearby villages have started marching towards the site and clashes broke out at several places.
Law and order situation erupting at the encounter sites has emerged as a major problem for government forces, in the wake of which, Army Chief Bipin Rawat stated that the civilian protestors obstructing encounters, would be treated as ‘over ground workers of militants’ dealt with ‘harshly’ and army could go ‘helter-skelter.’ The statement triggered a political controversy and Rawat was criticized both in J&K and Delhi.
According to official figures, 29 Armymen, including 15 in snow avalanches and 26 militants have been killed this year, till now. The police figures claim that around 100 locals have joined militant ranks in last year and 59 of them joined after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed along with his two colleagues on July 8 last year. More than 60 weapons have been snatched from police and other government forces in 2016.
