3 LeT terrorists shot in fierce encounter

Three Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) terrorists, including a local cadre, were killed on Friday night in a fierce gun battle with security forces in Chattabal two days before the shifting of capital to Srinagar from Jammu, sources said. Protesting against the killing of the terrorists, a separatist group has called for shutdown in Kashmir on Sunday.

Three photojournalists were injured during clashes near the encounter site.

In separate incidents, a teenage protester was crushed to death by a security vehicle in old Srinagar, while a man and his nephew were killed in Hajin pocket of north Kashmir. A Special Police Officer was shot dead in south Kashmir’s Pulwama town.

Security forces had cordoned off a house in Chattabal area of Srinagar late on Friday following a tip-off that terrorists were holed up there. As the security forces challenged the terrorists, the ultras responded with guns.

During exchange of fire, three terrorists were killed inside the house, which was damaged during the heavy exchange of fire.

Two slain terrorists are suspected to be Pakistani nationals while the third has been identified as Fayaz Ahmad hamal, a resident of Fatehkadal in old Srinagar. A police spokesperson said Hamal was an accomplice of LeT ultras before going underground in April last year.

“He was previously involved in a case FIR no 83/2017 u/s 392 RPC, 7/25 IA Act, 30 Police Act of police station MR Gunj Srinagar,” Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid said.

Police said AK 47 rifles, magazines, UBGL, UBGL grenades, grenades, wire cutter, medical kit, and matrix sheets were recovered from their possession.

Police said terrorists were planning a major attack.

“On the basis of materials recovered, it is assessed that this group was intending to carry out some major terror attack,” said the spokesperson.

Killing of a civilian protestor intensified protests in the area and triggered spontaneous shutdown in entire Srinagar. The authorities snapped mobile internet as a precautionary measure.

A video of the incident showing a security vehicle running over the boy during clashes in Safakadal area of old Srinagar went viral.

It appears that the driver of the vehicle deliberately turned the vehicle towards the boy identified as Adil Ahmad Yadoo to knock him down, said sources.

Inspector general of police (Kashmir range) Soyam Prakash Pani said action would be taken against driver who ran over protesters in Srinagar during clashes.

“We have taken cognisance of the video. We are ascertaining the facts and investigating the matter and action will follow,” he said.

Police earlier said that Yadoo died in a road traffic accident. “One person identified as Yadoo was brought to SMHS Hospital whom doctors declared him brought dead. Medical bulletin suggests that the person died due to crushing injury in a road traffic accident at Noorbagh,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted and asked citizens not to pay heed to rumours.

However, temper started running high after separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq uploaded the video shot from a house on his twitter handle with #AdilMurdered.

“How a murder was committed by the forces today and then brazenly denied! Is there no sense of humanity left in India? #AdilMurdered,” Mirwaiz tweeted.

Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik asked people to observe shutdown on Sunday against the terrorist killing in Chattabal and “merciless” death of a civilian run over by a police vehicle during clashes.

The authorities foiled attempt of the JRL leaders to address a Press conference at a local hotel. While JKLF leader Yasin Malik was taken into custody Geelani and Mirwaiz were put under house arrest.

In a separate incident, during Friday night unknown gunmen barged into the houses of Gulam Hassan Dar (45) alias Hassan Rassa and abducted him along with his 26-year-old nephew Bashir Ahmad Dar, a cab driver from Gulshan Mohalla, Shahgund in north Kashmir’s Hajin area. Police said at about 3:30 am, the terrorists shot both of them dead. The dead bodies were found by the locals near a mosque. Police said preliminary investigation suggested the involvement of outlawed terror outfit LeT in the incident.

In another violent incident, a special police officer Showkat Ahmad Dar was shot dead by militants in Rohmoo village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Dar was posed in district police lines.