5 militants killed in encounter with security forces in Kashmir''s Kulgam

Suhail A Shah 

Anantnag, February 10

In yet another anti-militancy operation, the security forces on Sunday killed five Hizb militants in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. At least 10 civilians were injured in clashes that erupted at the encounter site.

The slain militants, all locals, were identified as Waseem Bashir Rather of Ashmuji Kulgam, Zahid Parray of DH Pora Kulgam, Idrees Bhat of Arwini in Anantnag, Aqib Nazir of Zangal Pora Kulgam and Parvaiz Bhat of Qaimoh Kulgam. Idrees had joined the Hizbul Mujahideen in 2017 and the rest in 2018.  

The operation was launched by a joint team of the security forces at 5.30 am in Kelam village. “As the area was being cordoned, the militants, who were hiding in a house, opened fire,” a police official said. In the retaliatory fire, three militants were killed. “Even as efforts were on to retrieve the bodies, two more militants hiding in another house opened fire. They too were shot,” he said.

The operation came to an end by noon.

Sources said the house where the first three militants were holed up was set on fire, forcing the militants to come out. “The second house too suffered substantial damage.” Fierce clashes erupted at the encounter site. The forces used tear smoke shells and pellet guns to disperse the protesters. At least 10 persons sustained pellet injuries.

“Six were treated here and two with eye injuries were sent to the SMHS hospital in Srinagar,” a doctor at the Kulgam hospital said. 

The bodies of the militants were handed over to the families in the evening. 

3 CRPF men, 4 cops injured in grenade attack  

Srinagar: At least seven security men and four civilians, including two women, were injured in a grenade attack in city centre on Sunday evening. Militants hurled a grenade on a security picket near Palladium in Lal Chowk at 6.45 pm, which exploded with a bang, injuring 11 persons. “Three CRPF men and four policemen were injured,” CRPF spokesman Sanjay Sharma said. Four civilians, including two women, were also hit by splinters. TNS