Shopian: The bloody encounter in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district ended with the killing of three militants. At least 9 soldiers including two Army officers were wounded. Five houses and a cowshed were blasted and raised to ground during 29 hours long gunfight. Meanwhile Lashkar e Toiba militant outfit has tribute slain militants
The gunfight between trapped militants and the government forces had broken out in Bahmino village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday morning. Two militants had been killed on Monday while the third militant was managing to switch to other houses.
Police sources said that the last surviving militant moved from house to house amid massive mortar shelling and firing. The Army blasted the five houses and the cowshed to eliminate him.
The houses belonged to Wagay brothers including Muhammad Yousuf, Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Ramzan, Abdul Salam and Ali Muhammad.
According to locals the exchange of fire between the surviving militant and the government forces continued throughout night. A large number of locals were on the roads throughout night clashing with the Forces. Locals alleged that Forces personnel ransacked houses and thrashed people during night hours.
They said that the village reverberated with gunshots and blast throughout night, creating panic in the area.
A police official said that the encounter ended at 10:30 of Tuesday morning and the bodies of all the three militants were recovered.
Shortly after the culmination of the gun fight, massive clashes erupted between protesters and government forces. Eyewitnesses and reports said that men, women and children took to streets and clashed with forces to protest the killing of three militants.
The protesters hurled rocks at the forces, who retaliated by firing tear smoke and ‘PAVA’ shells. There was no immediate report of any injuries. Monday this week, over a dozen people were wounded while four of the protesters received bullet injuries. Reports said that tens of thousands of people were seen moving towards the native villages of two of the three slain militants to participate in their last rites.
“The protesters tried to disrupt the operation. They tried to help militants escape from the area, however couldn’t succeed,” said a police official wishing anonymity.
The three militants killed in the encounter have been identified as Jahangir Ahmed Khan, a resident of Keller, Kifayat Ahmed Khandey of Bahmino village and third militant Muhammad Tayyib reportedly hails from Reasi district of Jammu region.
The killing of the militants sparked spontaneous shutdown in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Reports said that normal life was disrupted in Pulwama and its adjacent areas including Tahab and Rajpora due to shutdown.
Reports said that at least 9 soldiers were injured during the gunfight. The injured included an army Major of 44 Rashtriya Rifles Rohit Shukla, Sepoy Bharat Singh, Junior Commissioned Officer 2nd Para, Gulkun Mahadev and Sub Inspector 183 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force Ashok Jholkar.
Meanwhile militant outfit Lashkar Toiba has paid rich tributes to militants killed in Pulwama encounter.
The outfit spokesperson Abdullah Ghaznavi while quoting LeT Chief Mehmood Shah as having said that through ‘Operation All Out’ Indian agencies have been painting their hands with the blood of innocent Kashmiri youth.
Mehmood Shah said that India has been using all its resources to muzzle and crush the freedom sentiments of people in Kashmir. “We are indebted to these young militants who have been sacrificing their life for the safe future of Kashmiri people,” he said in a statement to local news gathering agency CNS.
While lauding the role of people of Kashmir, Mehmood Shah said that no power on earth can defeat their valour and steadfastness. “India is taking help of America and Isreal to crush Kashmir Freedom struggle while we seek help from our Almighty,” he said and appealed people to show a united face.
