12 HOUSES DAMAGED IN FIRE

SRINAGAR: At least 12 houses were damaged in a fire during the gunfight between militants and the security forces in the Nawa Kadal area of Old City in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Nawa Kadal, like most of the Old City, is highly congested with cheek by jowl houses mostly made of bricks and wood.

Locals and eyewitnesses said that around 12 houses were damaged in the fire that erupted after several blasts and exchange of fire between militants and security forces during the encounter.

Some locals even alleged that they found their houses ransacked and many of their valuables missing after they returned to their homes when the encounter had ended. “When we came back we found our lockers were broken and cash, gold items and gas cylinders stolen. All our belongings have been ransacked,” said Bilal Ahmad, a local.

Calls to Kashmir Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar and Srinagar SSP, Haseeb Mughal went unanswered.