SRI NAGAR: There has been no let-up in militant violence and encounters in Kashmir during Ramzan, with 17 people, including 12 militants, two soldiers, two PDP workers and a civilian, falling to violence in the first 14 days of the Muslim holy month.The 12 militants were killed in half a dozen encounters in the Valley since the start of Ramzan on May 7. Most of the slain militants were locals.
A top Pakistani militant of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Khalid Bhai, was among the militants killed, as were two local militants of the outfit. They were killed in Dalipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on May 16.Khalid was involved in a suicide attack on a CRPF camp at Lethpora, Pulwama, in 2017 in which five paramilitary personnel were killed.Of the six gun battles, five took place in Pulwama and Shopian, and one in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Two army men have also been killed in the gunfights.
Sepoy Sandeep Kumar was killed in May 16 encounter in which the three Jaish militants were killed.
The same day, Sepoy Rohit Kumar Yadav was killed in a gunfight with militants in Sedow, Shopian, in which three militants were killed.
Two PDP workers were killed by militants in south Kashmir during Ramzan. One of the workers was shot dead at Zainapora area of Shopian on May 8 and another in Zangalpora area of Kulgam on May 19.
A civilian also died during an exchange of fire between militants and security forces in Dalipora, Pulwama on May 16.
A police official said all the encounters took place during intelligence-based cordon and search operations launched by security forces.“Most of these encounters had taken place early in the morning as security forces are conducting pre-dawn anti-militancy operations in Ramzan to avoid clashes with the local population during the gunfights,” he said.