Toll 6; Valley observes shutdown

SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said she was distressed over the deaths of civilians in ‘crossfire’ in Shopian while opposition National Conference and members of her own party PDP demanded a probe into the incident even as Kashmir shut down in protest.

“Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families,” Mehbooba tweeted.

Normal life in Kashmir was affected on Monday due to a strike called by the separatist bloc Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) to protest the deaths in the Shopian firing incident.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutes remained closed and public transport was off the roads in most parts of the Valley but some private vehicles and cabs could be seen plying. The Kashmir University also postponed its examinations in view of concerns expressed by students.

2 MORE BODIES FOUND

Four youths and two militants were killed after a shootout involving army at Pahnoo in Shopian on Sunday evening. While two bodies, including that of a militant, were found not far from Pahnoo on Monday morning, the bodies of one militant and three other young men were found on Sunday night.

The Army had said that a “militant and his three accomplices” were found dead when it retaliated after a mobile check post of the security forces was fired upon on Sunday evening. It had called the youths as “overthe-ground workers or accomplices” of the militants travelling in a Maruti Swift car, but locals said they were just civilians. A statement by police spokesman also referred to the three youths as “individuals”.

The police connected their deaths to Sunday night’s incident.

“Dead body of one more militant recovered at Saidpora in jurisdiction of PS Hurpora Shopian. He has been identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat, resident of Rakh Kapran of LET. He was missing since November 13, 2017. The preliminary investigation suggests the death of the said militant being a part of the chain of incidents at Pahnoo Shopian. Further investigation is on. Another body has been found near the incident of the last evening at Pahnoo Shopian. Police is investigating. He has been identified as Gowhar Ahmed Lone of Chitragam Shopian,” the Jammu and Kashmir Police said in a statement.