A couple of city centre area’s including Saraibala, Maharaja Bazar, Gonikhan and Hari Singh High Street of summer capital Srinagar Tuesday observed a complete shutdown to mourn the death of two ‘militants’ who according to police were killed during a brief gunfight on Monday night.Eyewitnesses told CNS that all the shops and business establishments remained shut while transport didn’t ply on the roads. Locals staged a protest while groups of youth resorted to stone-pelting in the area. Large number of people offered funeral prayers in absentia for the slain militants.Police on Monday had said that two Jaish-e-Muhammad militants including commander Saifullah were killed during a brief gunfight in Saraibala area of the city.The ‘militants’ were reportedly hiding inside the house of a widow Raja Begum wife of late Ghulam Muhammad Hakim. Raja Begum told reporters that two days back two youth who were speaking both in Kashmir and Urdu approached her and on their request she rented them one of the rooms. “These two youth claimed that they are the residents of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and even said that they need the room for studying purposes,” she said.
“I was shocked on Monday when during late hours Forces personnel barged into my house and inquired about these two youth. My son Burhan accompanied Forces personnel to the upper storey and they (Forces) dragged them from the house. Suddenly I heard gunshots and found one of the youth lying dead on the road. After few minutes I heard more gun shots and later I came to know Forces have killed both the youth. I don’t know who they were but was shocked after the news spread that Forces killed two militants in Saraibala area,” she said.Raja Begum said that her son Burhan Hakim was picked up by the Forces and she doesn’t know about his destination. She claimed that some gold ornaments and cash set apart by her for the marriage of her daughter has also gone missing from her house.“I don’t know who these youth were. They just stayed in my house for a day. I am still in shock and want my son should be released,” Raja Begum said.Meanwhile, a police official told CNS that both these non-local militants were staying in the said house from past week. He said that they were planning to carry a major strike in the heart of the city. (CNS)