SRINAGAR: A teenage boy was killed and two girls injured in security forces firing on protestors near the encounter site in south Kashmir’s Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday while two militants were also killed in the ongoing encounter.
SSP Shopian A S Dinkar told New Indian Express that police, CRPF and army men launched joint cordon and search operation in Chaigund village of Shopian district this afternoon after receiving information about presence of two to three militants there.
He said as the security personnel were laying siege around the area, they came under gunfire from the hiding militants.
“The fire was returned by the security personnel, triggering an encounter,” the official said.
As the encounter was raging, the locals of the area took to roads and attempted to march towards the encounter site amidst chanting of pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
The security personnel fired tear smoke shells to disperse them and resorted to firing after coming under intense stone pelting from the mob, the sources said.
In the security forces firing, a 17-year-old boy Shakir Ahmad Mir and two girls were injured.
The injured were evacuated to hospital, where the boy succumbed to injuries.
Tension gripped the area after killing of the boy.
The injured girls are undergoing treatment.
The authorities imposed restrictions in the area and deployed additional cops there to maintain law and order and foil protests.
The law and order situation had no impact on the security forces operation and they continued to engage militants in the gunfight.
Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said two militants have been killed in the encounter.
“Two militants have been killed and weapons recovered from the encounter site. The search operation is still going on,” Vaid tweeted.
He said unfortunately, a boy was also killed and two ladies sustained injuries in the cross fire.
The teenager’s killing is the first civilian killing in law and order situation in the Valley this year.
At least 105 civilians were killed in law and order situation in the Valley in last two years while 67 other civilians died in militancy related violence in Kashmir in 2016 and 2017.
IED defused near railway station
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by suspected militants near Pampore railway station in Kandizal-Tangpora village in south Kashmir district of Pulwama was defused by paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel today.
A CRPF official said the IED fitted inside a pressure cooker was recovered near Kandizal-Tangpora railway station this morning.
He said experts of Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) were rushed to the spot and they neutralised the device.
“A major tragedy was averted by the timely detection and neutralisation of the IED,” the official said.
The recovery of IED comes just two days ahead of Republic Day functions in Kashmir, where security has been intensified and security men put on maximum alert to foil any attempts by militants to carry out attacks.