3 militants, including minor, killed in Kashmir gun battle
PROTESTS Clashes erupt between civilians and security forces at the gunfight site SRINAGAR:
Three militants, including a juvenile, were killed and an Army jawan was injured after a 18-hour gunfight between security forces and militants in the outskirts of Srinagar on Sunday.
An Army spokesman said that the bodies of three militants were retrieved and weapons were recovered from the spot. “Operation over,” the army spokesman said just after noon.
Kashmir police in a statement identified the slain militants as Mudasir Rashid Parray and Saqib Bilal Sheikh, both of Hajin Bandipora. It said that from the material evidence collected from the encounter site, the third militant has been identified as Ali, a Pakistani, who was involved in militant recruitment in Hajin and Sumbal areas of Bandipora. The statement also said that the trio was affiliated with proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Locals said Parray was 14-15 years old and had disappeared along with the 17-year-old Saqib Bilal Sheikh on August 31. Parray’s gun-wielding picture surfaced on social media recently. Superintendent of police, Bandipora, Sheikh Zulfikar said Parray was below 18 while Sheikh was older than him.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation,” the state police said.
Fierce clashes broke out between civilians and security forces at Mujgund area, where the encounter took place. “Security forces fired dozens of tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protesters,” an eyewitness said.
On Saturday evening, security forces cordoned the locality after they received inputs that militants were hiding there.
A police officer said that during the search operation, the search party was fired upon by militants. “The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight. In the initial exchange of fire one army jawan sustained injuries and was shifted to hospital for medical treatment,” he said.