Anantnag/Srinagar: The encounter in South Kashmir ended with the killing of two militants and two civilians. A woman has also been died due to cardiac arrest, reports said. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of two civilians during the gun fight
Army assisted by Para-military troopers and Special Operation Group personnel of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off Brinti Dialgam village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday morning. Reports said locals clashed with Forces to ensure the escape of the militants, however, Forces dealt sternly with the protesters and fired pellets and bullets to keep them at bay.
During the fierce gun fight and clashes at least four persons including two militants were killed while a woman also died due to heart failure.
A police official identified one of the slain militant as Bashir Lashkari while the identify of the other militant has not been ascertained yet.
The two slain civilians have been identified as Tahira Bano and Tariq Ahmed while a woman Raja Bano also died allegedly due to heart failure.
Officials said that locals tried to disrupt the operation and entered into firerce clashes with government forces. At least 10 civilians received pellet and bullet injuries.
The killing of Lashkari according to police sources is a big blow to militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba. He was involved in the killing of six cops including the SHO Achabal Police Station Feroz Ahmed Dar.
Hailing from Kokernag area of Anathnag district in south Kashmir Bashir Lashkari crossed to POK in 1999.
He returned from POK under state government ammenisty scheme announced by Omar Abdullah government in 2012. Lashkari was jailed till 2014 and got reactivate as terrorist in 2015.
In a year Bashir has managed to mobilise group of terrorists and even some Pakistani Lashkar terrorists are part of this group. Lashkari is the most wanted Lashker Commander with bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head.
Lashkari is also responsible for killing of SHO Feroz with other 5 policeman last month. Special police teams were formed to hunt him down after the killing.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief over the death of two civilians at Anantnag during an anti-militancy operation Saturday.
Terming the deaths as tragic and unfortunate the Chief Minister appealed the people to keep away from the points of conflagration so that precious human lives are not lost.
Conveying her sympathies to the bereaved families, Mehbooba said the vicious cycle of death and destruction confronting Kashmir must end at the earliest and efforts should be made at all levels to revive the peace and reconciliation process for the larger good of the people sandwiched in a gory situation.
“We in Jammu and Kashmir understand better what the ordeal of violence is, as it has been our fate to live through and survive its frightening and devouring hazards,” she said and added that for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, suffering over two decades of turmoil, has been a long, dark experience, bloody at times and frustrating at almost every step. “This gory era must end now for the sake of our future generations,” she said.
