SRINAGAR: A day after two civilians were killed during clashes with security forces near encounter site in South Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday issued a fresh advisory on encounters in Kashmir and appealed people to stay away from counter-militancy operation sites for their own safety.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, today again appealed people to stay away from counter-militancy operation sites for their own safety.
He said assembling of people at the encounter sites is fraught with danger as nobody can predict the trajectory of a bullet and there is also a danger of bullet hitting people after ricocheting.
Khan said people should remain away from encounter sites to ensure their safety.
The Divisional Commissioner appealed parents, community elders and prayer leaders to counsel and advise youth to stay away from counter-insurgency operation sites.
Two youth – a 15-year-old Amir Nazir Wani and 22-year-old Jalal-ud-Din – were killed during clashes near encounter site at Padgampora village, Awantipora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district yesterday.
While Amir was hit by a bullet, Jalal died of heart attack.
The people, mostly youth, had taken to roads during an encounter between two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants and security forces at Padgampora village yesterday.
The youth pelted stones on the security men and engaged them in clashes in an attempt to make militants escape from the area. The security men fired pellets and bullets on the mob to disperse them.
Both the Lashkar militants were also killed in an encounter with the security forces.
Today’s advisory is the second advisory issued by the State government on encounters after February 15 warning of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat that people creating hurdles during anti-militancy operations and displaying flags of Pakistan and ISIS in Jammu and Kashmir will be dealt as anti-nationals and will face harsh actions.
A day after Army chief’s warning, the State government had issued an advisory and advised people not to move towards or assemble near the encounter sites to avoid loss and injuries to precious human lives.
The government has been imposing prohibitory restrictions within the radius of three kilometres from the encounter site.
However, people have been defying restrictions, staging protests and engaging security personnel in clashes during the encounters.
A police official said they are strictly enforcing restrictions under Section 144 CrPc near the encounter site to prevent people from staging protests and marching towards the places, where encounters take place.
“After Thursday’s incident, we will take further measures to strictly enforce restrictions and prevent people from reaching near the encounter site and engaging security men in the clashes,” he said.