Militant, civilian killed in gunfight in south Kashmir

SHOPIAN OPERATION Encounter ensued as forces launched a search operation in Khudpora area after a tipoff

A militant and a civilian were killed during an overnight encounter between militants and security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Police officials on Sunday said they recovered two dead bodies from Khudpora area of Shopian after gunfight started between militants and security forces on Saturday evening.

A police spokesperson in a statement identified one of the slain men as Mohd Irfan Bhat , a Hizbul Mujahideen militant from Pulwama.The spokesman identified other slain man as Shahid Mir but did not clarify whether he was a militant or a civilian. Locals however said that Mir, 31, a resident of Khudpora, was a civilian who did shuttering contracts. He was married and had a child.

A police statement said Mir was part of a case under Section 7/25 of the Arms Act registered at a police station in Shopian, for a terror related incident in 2004.

“It is not clear how he was killed. But why is police justifying his killing by mentioning a 14-year-old case,” a villager from Shopian, requesting anonymity said.

The encounter had ensued after a joint party of security forces launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Khudpora area of Shopian on Saturday evening after getting a tip about the presence of militants in the area.The police statement said that during the search operation, the militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated by the security forces leading to an encounter.

“Following the SOP, civilians from the nearby area were evacuated to safer places. In the ensuing encounter, hiding terrorists fired on security forces.During the search, two dead bodies were recovered from the site of encounter,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said two militants managed to escaped as blood trails were seen at the site.

“Moreover the house where the encounter took place is intact, albeit a hideout was also found inside the house where terrorists were hiding,” the statement said.

Police have ’found’ incriminating materials including arms and ammunition from the site of encounter.

“A case has been registered and investigation is on for ascertaining the facts pertaining to terrorists hiding in the house and other related matters to the incident,” the spokesperson said.

This is the second instance where a civilian was killed in unclear circumstances during an encounter in the past 20 days.

A civilian was killed during an encounter between LeT militants and security forces in a house on October 17 in Fateh Kadal area.

MILITANTS FIRED ON THE SEARCH PARTY, WHICH RETALIATED, LEADING TO THE ENCOUNTER