In a day of encounters in Kashmir, six militants, a civilian and two Army men were killed in two separate incidents on Thursday, 16 May, in the twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama of South Kashmir.
The Indian Army on Thursday said it will continue targeting Jaish-e-Mohammed and Hizbul Mujahidden for a terrorism-free Kashmir, ANI reported. It also added that due to relentless pressure from the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, six militants had been killed.
Encounter in Shopian
At least three militants were killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday. An Army jawan, who had suffered grievous injuries in the gun battle with militants, has also succumbed, police said, reported PTI.
"The injured Army jawan Rohit Kumar Yadav has succumbed at the hospital and attained martyrdom," a police spokesman said.
The spokesman identified the slain militants as Yawar Ahmad Dar, Shakeel Ahmad Dar and Ishtiyaq Bhat. They were affiliated with terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.
"As per police records, Yawar Dar was involved in planning and executing series of terror attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities. He was involved in the terror attack on Zainpora Police Guard last year in which four policemen were martyred," he said.
According to police officials, a gunfight had broken out between the militants and a joint team of Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Special Operations Group after a cordon and search operations was launched in Hendow village, PTI reported.
Encounter in Pulwama
Meanwhile, in a separate encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants, a civilian and a soldier were killed. The incident took place after police forces launched a cordon and search operation at Dalipora area in Pulwama district.
A police spokesperson said as the security forces were evacuating the target house, the hiding militants started firing indiscriminately.
The army jawan and the civilian killed in the firing were identified as Sepoy Sandeep and Rayees Dar.
In the retaliatory action, three militants were killed and their bodies retrieved, a police spokesperson said. As per police records, the militants were identified as Naseer Pandith of Kareemabad Pulwama, Umar Mir of Shopian and Khalid from Pakistan.
The spokesperson said according to the police records, the slain militants were affiliated with JeM. They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities, he added.
The police officials further said that the slain militant, Naseer Pandith had a long history of terror crime records and was booked under several sections of IPC. "Naseer was also involved in the killing of a policeman Mohammad Yaqoob Shah of Pulwama in 2018 on the eve of Eid," the spokesperson said. Adding that he was also involved in several weapon snatching incidents reported from the area.
He said Khalid, who was operating as a JeM commander, was involved in several terror attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area.
Following the encounter in Pulwama, thousands of people on attended the funeral of Pandit and Umar Mir. Eyewitnesses told The Quint that people attending the funeral raised pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans participated in the last rites of slain militants.
Clashes between police forces and civilians were also reported in some parts of Pulwama.
(With inputs from Kashmir based journalist Muneeb ul Islam)
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