Thousands of people on Monday braved snow and cold to participate in the last rites of three militants killed in an encounter with government forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.Acting on specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in Awora village, government forces on Sunday evening had launched a search operation in the area. The gunfight lasted whole night while locals hit to roads and tried to proceed towards encounter site to help militants to break the cordon. However, government forces used tear-smoke shells to keep them at bay. The pre and post encounter clashes left many civilians injured.Three militants were killed during the wee hours of Monday while Defense sources said that three AK-47 rifles were recovered from the encounter site. Locals said that the house in which militants were presented was blasted as a result all the three local militants died on spot. Locals alleged that government forces barged into the houses in Awora village and ransacked them, a claim that was also made by National Conference legislator from Pahalgam Altaf Ahmed Kaloo in the Legislative Assembly.Confirming the death of three militants, a police official told CNS that ‘mild’ force was used on protesters protesting the death of these three militants.
He identified the trio as Adil Ahmad Reshio of Bijbehara town, Abid Ahmad Sheikh of Saktipora and Masood Ahmad Shah of Bewoora village. He said that all the three slain militants were affiliated with militant outfit Hizbul Mujhadeen.Witnesses said that people from several village of Bijbehara area marched towards Bijbehara town, Bewoora and Saktipora villages to take part in the funeral prayers of the trio. Braving snow and chill, thousands of mourners amid pro-freedom slogans participated in their funeral processions while agitated youth clashed with government forces in different parts of South Kashmir including Bijbehara. Reports said several persons, including a photojournalist, were injured after government forces resorted to aerial firing and teargas shelling to disperse protesters in Bijbehara area. Reports said that a photojournalist Bilal Bahadur was also injured after forces burst teargas shells to disperse the protesters. “Despite seeing camera in my hand, the local police targeted me and fired a tear-gas shell that hit my arm,” Bilal told CNS adding that his wounded arm was later on plastered by doctors at Sub-District Hospital Bijbehara. (CNS)