SRI NAGAR: A soldier was killed in a gunfight in north Kashmir, while two civilians lost lives in separate militancy incidents in south Kashmir on Friday.Indian and Pakistani troops also exchanged gunfire along the Line of Control in Poonch district.In north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, militants fired on an Army search party at Kralagund area of Handwara in the morning hours. “The troopers retaliated, triggering an encounter. In the brief encounter, a soldier was critically injured. The injured soldier was evacuated to the Army hospital, where he succumbed to injuries,” a police officer said.
The deceased was identified as Rifleman Ram Banu Shahi. Sources said the militants managed to escape the security forces after the gunfire.Meanwhile, militants fired point blank at Shameema, 38, near Drabgam village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district in the afternoon. The woman died while she was being referred to a hospital. The police blamed militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen for the killing. In the other incident, militants hurled a grenade at the office of the Superintendent of Police Awantipora in south Kashmir in the afternoon. The grenade exploded near the office gate and injured four civilians. Two of them were referred to Srinagar, where one of the critically injured, Abdul Ahad Pinchoo, succumbed to injuries.
Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire along LoC in Poonch sector. “Pakistani troops fired at the forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector on Thursday night. The Army also retaliated with similar calibre weapons and the exchange of fire continued for some time,” a defence source said. There were no injuries or damage in the Pakistani firing.
Call for strike
Ahead of hearing on petitions challenging validity of Article 35A by the apex court, the separatist leaders called for a two-day strike in J&K. Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohd Yasin Malik jointly gave the call for shutdown on August 26 and 27. They said any attempt by the Centre to tinker with Article 35A would be opposed tooth and nail.