Four militants, two jawans die in Valley encounter; protests erupt
SRINAGAR: Two civilians and as many jawans were killed in the bloodiest day in Kashmir in a while on Sunday that saw a gunfight between security forces and militants, which was followed by violent protests.
Four militants were also killed in the encounter that prompted hundreds of people to descend on the streets of Kulgam in south Kashmir and its adjoining areas.
One of the civilians was a protester and the other was caught in the crossfire.
The opposition National Conference demanded a probe into the firing, and Kashmiri separatists called for a strike on Monday to protest crackdown by the security forces. At least 21 protesters were injured when police used bullets, pellets and tear gas shells to repel amassing demonstrators.
The protester killed in the firing was identified as 24-year-old Mus ht aq Ibrahim from Sirgufwara. The youth probably died of bullet wounds, said deputy inspector general of south Kashmir SP Pani, adding that the other injured protesters are stable.
Security forces had cordoned off a house where the alleged militants were holed up at Kulgam’s Frisal village on Saturday night before the gunfight began Sunday morning. Late Sunday evening, a police spokesman identified the four militants as locals of south Kashmir. While two belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, two others were associated with Lashkar e Taiba. The spokesman said that during the initial cordon three militants managed to escape from the spot.
The two slain soldiers belonged to 1st Rashtriya Rifles and were identified as Raghubeer Singh of Uttarakhand and Bhandoriya Gopal Singh of Gujarat.