Two militants, civilian killed in Shopian gunfight

Srinagar: Two militants and a teenage boy were killed and two girls critically injured during a gunfight between militants and government forces in Chaigund village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday. Meanwhile Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and anguish over the killing of the youth during the gunfight.
A health official at Public Health Centre Rajpora said that a 17-year-old boy identified as Shakir Ahmad Mir was declared dead on arrival at the facility. He was a resident of Qalampora village.
Health sources at Pulwama district hospital said that two girls with critical bullet injuries were brought to the facility.
He said that the girls – both residents of Odoo village – were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment.
The girls were reportedly identified as Sumi Jan, daughter of Ghulam Hassan Bhat and Sabreena, daughter of Hilal Ahmad Bhat.
Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said that two militants have been killed in the gunfight.
“In an encounter today at Saigund Shopian,” he said, two militants have been “neutralised and weapons have been recovered.”
“Unfortunately one boy was also killed in the cross-fire and two ladies sustained injuries. Search is still going on,” he said, in a tweet.
The slain militants were identified as Sameer Ahmad Wani of Odoo and Firdous Ahmad of Ganawpora.
Earlier, a gunfight erupted in the village after militants opened fire on forces who were conducting searches. Reports said that two militants are trapped inside the cordoned off area. Internet services were snapped in the twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama “to prevent the spreading of rumours”.
Meanwhile Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has expressed grief and anguish over the killing of a youth in the Chaigund village of Shopian district Wednesday.
The Chief Minister termed the killing as unfortunate. She appealed youth to stay away from the spots of gunfights. She has prayed for peace to the departed soul.
Police version:
Police late in evening issued a statement and said “On a specific information, the joint party of Police Shopian, 44 RR and 14 Bn CRPF laid a cordon at Chaigund area of Shopian in South Kashmir.
“The hiding militants under the clad of Burka tried to break cordon and fired indiscriminately on the search party. The security forces retaliated during which Burka-clad militants were forced to go back into hiding,” said the statement.
“During indiscriminate firing by the militants and the retaliatory fire one civilian namely Shakir Ahmad Mir resident of Kalampora Pulwama got killed and two ladies namely Sabreena Jan and Sumi Jan both the residents of Keegam Shopian received bullet injuries. The injured ladies were taken to SMHS hospital where from they were shifted to SKIMS Soura for specialised treatment,” it said.
“The injuries are not the result of law & order situation as was initially reported by some media circles,” it said, adding that Sumi Jan (one of the injured girls) is a resident of the house in which the encounter was on and Sabreena Jan is a sister of HM militant Sameer Wani who was also reportedly hold up inside the house.
“So far one AK 47, one INSAS and two dead bodies of militants have been recovered from the encounter site, whose identities are being ascertained.”
“Meanwhile it is pertinent to mention that during initial phase of operation miscreants tried to disrupt the operation by heavy stone pelting on the security forces.
Till filing of this report the operation was underway and further details will follow.”