5 militants killied in Chowgam gunfight, civilian killed in post gunfight clashes

Srinagar : Five militants were killed in a fierce encounter here in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
The gunfight had erupted at Khargund Chowgam village in the middle of the night. Indian Army personnel from 9 Rashtriya Rifles, counter insurgent group of Jammu Kashmir Police known as SOG jointly launched an operation after receiving inputs about the presence of a group of militants.
The gunfight continued for at least 10 hours in which five Kashmiri militants were killed. A Police spokesperson while terming the operation as a huge success said it was a combo of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujhadeen militants.
Militants according to an official were present in the house of one Manzoor Ahmed Ganaie who is a retired Armyman. The house was razed to ground using powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
Militants killed in the gunfight were identified as Gulzar Ahmed Paddar of Pombai Kulgam, Faisal Rashid Rather of Yamrach Kulgam, Zahid Ahmed Mir of Okey Kulgam, Masroor Ahmed Bhat of Fathepora Anantnag and Zahoor Ahmed of DH Pora Kulgam.
A police spokesman in a statement said that during the search operation, militants fired on the search party. Initially, the civilians were moved away from the site of the encounter to safer locations. government forces then engaged the militants in an encounter. “In the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed. This was a group of militants involving proscribed outfits HM and LeT. The slain militants were identified as Gulzar Ahmad Padder alias Saif resident of Adijan Kulgam, Faisal Ahmad Rather alias Dawood resident of Yamrach Kulgam, Zahid Ahmad Mir alias Hashim resident of Okey Kulgam, Masroor Molvi alias Abu Darda resident of Fatehpora Anantnag and Zahoor Ahmad Lone alias Rehman Bhai resident of Nagnad Noorabad Damhal Hanjipora,” the spokesman said.
“Gulzar Paddar was a close associate of Altaf Kachroo and was involved in a series of militant attacks including the killing of five police personnel at Pambay last year along with two bank employees,” he said.
The spokesman said that he was also involved in the killings of SPO at Krewan Chidder in Kulgam. Besides he was involved in looting police guards at Damhaal and weapon snatching cases reported across Kulgam and many other bank robbery cases attempted in the area.
“Zahid of Okey village was wanted for his involvement in the killing of policeman Fayaz Ahmad of Zainapora on the day of Eid,” he added.
“Faisal was involved in the killing of Policeman Gowhar Ahmad who was posted in Shopian last year,” he said.
“Zahoor @ Rehman and Mansoor was involved in series of militant offences besides recruitment bid in the locality,” the spokesman said.
“They were affiliated with proscribed militant outfits LeT and HM. Arms and ammunition were also seized from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated investigation in the instant matter,” the police spokesman said.
The killing of militants sparked spontaneous shutdown in South Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Pulwama and Anantnag. All shops and business establishments remained shut while transport also remained off the roads.
Over two dozen protesters sustained injuries during clashes that erupted near the encounter site. Reports said that youth took to streets as soon as the news of gunfight spread in the area. They said the protesters pelted the forces with stones to disrupt the operation.
The forces, they said, fired live ammunition and pellets to chase away the protesters.
At least 26 protesters were injured in clashes.
An official at district hospital Anantnag said that twenty-two injured were brought to the facility for treatment.
“Five among them, two with firearm and three with pellet injury in eyes, were referred to Srinagar for specialized treatment,” said the official. Among them one identified as Rouf Ahmed Khan son of Abdul Salam Khan a resident of Anchidora succumbed to his injuries.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people participated in the last rites of all the slain militants. They were buried amid pro-freedom slogans
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen has paid rich tributes to five militants and a civilian killed Saturday in Chowgam area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Outfit spokesperson Burhanuddin told local news gathering agency CNS that Hizb Chief Syed Salahuddin expressed grief over the killing of budding youth of Kashmir Valley. “This nation will always remember the sacrifices rendered by budding youth and will always respect and honour their blood. The sun of freedom will rise in Kashmir sooner or later,” Burhanuddin quoted Salahuddin as having said.
Five militants and a civilian were killed in Chowgam on Saturday.