Civilian, Army man killed in ongoing encounter and protests in south Kashmir
SRINAGAR: An army man was killed and three armed forces personnel were injured in an ongoing encounter in Khudwani area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.
Soon after the gunfight started in Wani Mohallah of Khudwani at around 11:30pm last night, locals came out to protest near the encounter site to disrupt the anti-militancy operation. During the protests, a 28-year-old civilian Sharjeel Ahmad received bullet injuries in stomach and succumbed. He was declared dead at district hospital. Another civilian is seriously injured. Even as the encounter is going on, the protests in nearby areas also intensified.
The government has snapped the Internet in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir and all the educational institutions have been closed in Kulgam district. The train services from Srinagar to Banihal have also been suspended.
“All of us are sitting in one room of our house and continue to hear gunshots,” a local from Kulgam, who lives near the encounter site, told ET over phone. In 2018, till now, around 100 people including 24 civilians, 48 militants and 27 police, army and paramilitary forces were killed.
J&K police officials claim that two to three militants are trapped in the house. “As room intervention is not possible, so the house may be blasted soon,” a police official told ET.
A joint team of Army’s 1 RR, Special Operation Group of J&K police, CRPF started cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah. “Cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah turns into encounter. Information preliminary and details being collected,” J&K police spokesperson said.
In the first week of April, 13 militants, five civilians and three army men were killed in three different encounters and protests in south Kashmir, after which Kashmir Valley observed shutdown for four days.
After killing of Burhan Wani in 2016 militancy gathered steam and became deadlier as around 100 locals joined militancy in 2016, 124 in 2017 and around 27 in 2018 till now. The government launched Operation All Out to wipe out the militancy and killed more than 213 militants in 2017.
Soon after the gunfight started in Wani Mohallah of Khudwani at around 11:30pm last night, locals came out to protest near the encounter site to disrupt the anti-militancy operation. During the protests, a 28-year-old civilian Sharjeel Ahmad received bullet injuries in stomach and succumbed. He was declared dead at district hospital. Another civilian is seriously injured. Even as the encounter is going on, the protests in nearby areas also intensified.
The government has snapped the Internet in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir and all the educational institutions have been closed in Kulgam district. The train services from Srinagar to Banihal have also been suspended.
“All of us are sitting in one room of our house and continue to hear gunshots,” a local from Kulgam, who lives near the encounter site, told ET over phone. In 2018, till now, around 100 people including 24 civilians, 48 militants and 27 police, army and paramilitary forces were killed.
J&K police officials claim that two to three militants are trapped in the house. “As room intervention is not possible, so the house may be blasted soon,” a police official told ET.
A joint team of Army’s 1 RR, Special Operation Group of J&K police, CRPF started cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah. “Cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah turns into encounter. Information preliminary and details being collected,” J&K police spokesperson said.
In the first week of April, 13 militants, five civilians and three army men were killed in three different encounters and protests in south Kashmir, after which Kashmir Valley observed shutdown for four days.
After killing of Burhan Wani in 2016 militancy gathered steam and became deadlier as around 100 locals joined militancy in 2016, 124 in 2017 and around 27 in 2018 till now. The government launched Operation All Out to wipe out the militancy and killed more than 213 militants in 2017.