Shopian killings: Investigation will ascertain level of coopn of slain civilians with militants, says army

Srinagar: Army on Monday stated that an investigation will ascertain the level of cooperation of slain civilians with the militants killed in Pahnoo village of Shopian in South Kashmir last night.
“No doubt they were civilians but investigations will reveal their role with militants,” said an army official.
Addressing a press conference here after Shopian killings, 12 sector RR Harbeer Singh and Col. 44 NS Negi in Balpora Shopian told reporters that at around 8:00 p.m on Sunday army were placing Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) MVCP vehicle along Trenz-Pinjoora road in Panhoo area of Shopian when two speedy vehicles were coming towards army patrol.
Army troopers on duty signaled them to stop which they refused and instead opened heavy firing on army personnel. Army in retaliation killed one militant instantly while another militant died on the way while trying to escape, they said.
“During the initial searches we recovered the body of militant which fell down from the vehicle. Later, three more bodies were found in another vehicle. We have also recovered one AK 47 rifle, three magazines and 88 rounds,” they said.
The army officials said that on Monday morning the body of another militant was found in Saidpora area of Shopian.
At around 9 a.m on Monday , body of another LeT militant, identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat, of Rakh Kapran, was found from apple orchards of Saidpura village, they said.
Few minutes later one more dead body was recovered from a vehicle in Pinjoora, namely Gowhar Ahmad Lone, of Mullu Chitrigam, taking the death toll to six.
When asked by reporters whether army had specific inputs about the militant attack, the officials said: “We had no specific inputs about this attack but yes, we knew about the increasing movement of militants in the area.”