Pulwama security ops spark protests, 1 killed
CORDON & SEARCH Stone pelting after searches by army, state police, CRPF
THE OPERATION CAME AFTER 11 RELATIVES OF STATE POLICE OFFICERS WERE ABDUCTED IN RETALIATION TO THE DETENTION OF FAMILIES OF 3 HIZBUL MILITANTS
SRINAGAR: A civilian was killed while five others were injured after security forces allegedly fired at a group of people who were pelting the police with stones in protest against a search operation in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday, officers said.
Securitymen cordoned off around 15 villages and launched in the morning what locals described as “one of the biggest search and cordon operations in Pulwama in the recent times”.
Officials said more than 1,000 troopers from three Rashtriya Rifles units, the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Central Reserve Police Force were involved in the operation, which was called off in the evening.
“We touched some 15 villages...we also interacted with people. A medical camp was organised, some sweets were also distributed. There were no arrests. We have closed the operation,” Pulwama superintendent of police Chandan Kohli said.
A three-tier cordon was placed around villages spread over more than 10 square kilometres. Officers said the area is frequented by militants. The operation came against the backdrop of militants abducting, and later releasing, 11 relatives of police personnel in apparent retaliation to the police’s detaining of families of three Hizbul Mujahideen militants amid mounting tension.
After the cordon and search operation, tension broke out in Gusoo village where a mob started pelting stones at the security team. Fayaz Ahmad Wani, suffered bullet injuries and died at Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital.
Protests broke outside the hospital after word spread about Wani’s killing. Protests and stone-pelting were also reported in Ruhmoo and Muran areas.
SMHS doctors said four people were provided treatment.