SRINAGAR: Three militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir while seven civilians were killed and over 40 others injured in a powerful blast near the encounter site on Sunday. It was the highest civilian casualties in any anti-militancy operation carried out by security forces in the militancy-hit Kashmir.
A police official said army, CRPF and policemen laid siege around Laroo area of Kulgam in the early hours today and launched search operation to track down the militants hiding there.He said during the search operation, militants hiding in the area fired on the troops. "The fire was returned by troops and in the ensuing five-hour-long gunfight, three local militants of Jaish were killed," the official said adding a house where from militants were firing was damaged during the encounter.
Two army men were also injured in the gunfight and evacuated to army hospital in Srinagar.After the encounter, youth took to roads and clashed with security personnel while large number of people converged at the encounter site.As people were assessing damage and dousing fire in the house damaged in the gunfight, a powerful explosion took place near the encounter site and impact of the blast was felt in adjoining areas as well. Three people died on spot and at least 45 sustained injuries. The injured were referred to nearby hospital, where from critically injured were evacuated to Srinagar hospitals for specialized treatment.
Four critically injured persons later succumbed to injuries in the hospitals, talking the death toll to seven.Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Shamim Ahmad Wani confirmed to New Indian Express that seven civilians were killed. He said six deceased civilians have been identified while identity of another dead is being ascertained. The DC said preliminary reports suggest that all the civilians died in the blast.Asked whether the administration would order any inquiry into civilian killings, Shamim said, "The decision in this regard will be taken tomorrow after assessing the situation".
The locals alleged that security personnel did not defuse explosive devices they had fired on the militants during the gunfight. "Before leaving the encounter site, they did not defuse the explosive devices and allowed people to visit the place. Had they defused the explosive device before leaving the place, civilian casualties would have been avoided". However, police spokesman refuted the locals claim and said civilians visited the encounter site despite request not to visit the place as thorough search was to be made for explosives once flames doused.
"They didn't listen and visited the spot immediately after forces withdrew and some explosive substance went off, causing civilian casualties," he said. The separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik strongly condemned the civilian killings and called for shutdown in Kashmir tomorrow against the killings.
They said they would be holding a sit-in protest at city centre LaL Chowk on Tuesday.General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based army's 15 Corps Lt Gen A K Bhatt conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of civilians killed in the blast.Three-time J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah termed the civilian killings as highly unfortunate. "Such incidents have become norm of the day and situation calls for immediate de-escalation from all sides," he said.
Former Chief Minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah said civilian casualties in Kulgam don't augment well for peace to return back to J&K. "A whole new generation is growing in conflict and what needs to be done is to start time bound and result oriented dialogue process.""All words of condemnation and condolence sound very hollow at this tragedy," tweeted another former CM and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.