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Militant gunned down in Shopian encounter, locals clash with police
Locals and police said that at least four houses were severely damaged in the fire and mobile internet was also suspended in the district
A militant has been killed in an ongoing overnight encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Shopian that also witnessed clashes between stone pelting youth and police around the encounter site, in which three people were injured.
Locals and police said that at least four houses were severely damaged in the fire and mobile internet was also suspended in the district.
Officials said the encounter started at Rawalpora area of Shopian on Saturday evening when police, army and CRPF launched a search operation after receiving a tip-off about presence of militants. They said militants opened fire on the forces, triggering an exchange of fire. The gunfight continued through the night and a militant was killed early morning.
“One terrorist was eliminated as the joint operation continues,” said an army spokesperson.
A police spokesperson identified the slain militant as Jahangir Ahmad Wani, a resident of Rakh Narapora Shopian, affiliated with the proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Wani has been active since September 2020.
He said once the presence of militants was ascertained on Saturday they were given opportunity to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately. “Due to darkness the operation was suspended however the cordon remained intact throughout night. In the morning, repeated announcements were again made asking hiding terrorist to surrender, but the terrorist fired on joint search party which was retaliated and so far one terrorist has been killed, “ he said.
The spokesman said that during the encounter, three houses caught fire.He said that a group of “miscreants” also tried to disrupt the operation and created a law and order problem near the encounter site during which some of them were also injured.
A US-made rifle and armour piercing bullets were recovered from the site. “The recoveries include one M4 carbine, three magazines, 36 armour piercing rounds and some cash,” he said. The area was cordoned off and was being searched till the filing of this report.
Locals said soon after the news of the killing of a militant spread in the area, angry youth came out protesting, threw stones on the forces and tried to march towards the site. The police retaliated with pump action pellet guns and tear gas.
Officials said at least three persons were injured in the clashes, including two youngsters due to pellets and a policeman, who was hit by a stone on his head. One of the protesting youngsters was hit in the eye.
Shopian medical superintendent Mohammad Ismail said the victim, who was hit with pellets on the eye, and the cop were referred to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh(SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar.
“The cop received stitches on the side of his head and is fine,” he said.
Medical Superintendent of SMHS, Nazir Choudhary identified the youth hit by pellets in the eye as 22-year-old Arif Ahmad Wagay. “He is doing fine,” he said.
The locals of Shopian said that fire erupted in many houses surrounding the encounter site severely damaging around four houses. People also shared videos of fire engulfing the houses near the site of encounter.
“It is not clear how the blaze erupted. The exchange of fire has stopped and searches are going on. The dead body of the militant has been shifted to Srinagar,” he said.
