A civilian was killed and more than 80 others were injured in clashes with security personnel at two places in south Kashmir on Wednesday.
The civilian, identified as Sajad Ahmad Parray, died after a group of youth clashed with security forces near a gunfight site in Guglaroo Pinjura village in Shopian, reported the Greater Kashmir. The forces used pellets and bullets to disperse the protesters. At least 30 people were injured.
“Six of the wounded were shifted to Srinagar hospitals,” said a doctor at Shopian district hospital.
The clashes erupted when a joint team of police and Army launched a cordon-and-search operation in Pinjoora after getting inputs about the presence of militants. “At around 7 pm the contact with the hiding militants was established, leading to an encounter,” said an unidentified police official. The security forces called off the operation on Thursday early morning.
In Kulgam district, at least 50 civilians were injured in clashes with security personnel. The clashes broke out during a cordon-and-search operation launched by the security forces at Tazipora-Mohamadpora village following inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
Kulgam Superintendent of Police Gurinder Pal Singh said three Jaish militants managed to escape after the initial round of firing. “One among them received bullet injury,” he told Greater Kashmir.
“We called off the operation in the afternoon after no dead body was retrieved from the encounter site,” he said. Eyewitnesses said local residents rescued two militants from the debris of the house that was blown up by the security forces. “The reports about locals rescued the militants from the debris of the house during the firefight are not true,” said Singh.
The security forces fired live ammunition on the protesters who pelted them with stones. “Most of the injured had minor injuries and were treated at the health facility itself,” Dr Fazil Kochak, the Kulgam chief medical officer, told the Greater Kashmir. “A few injured persons, one among them, Yawar Ahmad Lone, 18, was shifted to district hospital Kulgam. Among the injured, Yawar had received a bullet injury, while others had received pellets in eyes. They were referred to SMHS Srinagar for advanced treatment.”
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