Two militants and one civilian were killed during a fierce gunfight that erupted at Padgampura area of south Kashmir’s volatile Pulwama district on Thursday while scores of civilians sustained bullet and pellet injuries during clashes that raged during and after the gunfight. Another civilian, who locals said got suffocated during teargas shelling on protesters, also lost his life in the post-encounter protests.According to police, acting on specific information regarding the presence of militants in Padgampora area, a cordon and search operation was launched by Police Component Srinagar (CARGO), SOG Pulwama and 55 RR of army. “During the search operation, militants present in the area fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated, ensuing an encounter,” said the police.The police said that two militants identified as Mohammad Shafi Wagay alias Ehsan and Jahangir Ahmad Ganie alias Safi-ul-lah, affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed in the encounter. Local sources said that the police tried to persuade Muhammad Shafi for surrender though his wife and daughter but he turned the offer and instead preferred to fight to death.
The police said that these militants were involved in many incidents of violence including killing of security force police personnel and political activists, grenade attacks on security forces, police installations in South Kashmir.“They were also involved in threatening to general masses to refrain from forthcoming elections and motivating youth to join militant ranks in the general areas of Awantipora, Pulwama and Shopian,” the police said. Police also claimed that they were also involved in recent bank robberies and weapon snatching incidents in South and Central Kashmir.Meanwhile as the gunfight started in the area, hundreds of local residents rushed to the encounter site and started massive stone pelting on police and army men involved in the anti-militant operation. The police resorted to massive teargas shelling on protesters and also used pellets.
Eyewitnesses said that the police used live bullets on the protesters during which at least nine civilians sustained injuries and one of them identified as 15-year old Amir Nazir of Begumbagh, Pulwama succumbed. The killing of the 9th standard boy infused more intensity in the protests and thousands of people held protests.Amid heightened tensions, one more civilian identified as Jalal-ud-Din who lost his life. Although doctors at Pulwama district hospital denied any injury marks on his body and said he died of heart attack but locals said that that he collapsed during stone-pelting and died of teargas canister suffocation. Police on the other side said that they have registered a case and started investigation into the death of Jalal-ud-Din.As the news about the killings of militants and civilian spread, a complete shutdown was observed in Tral, Pulwama Town, Awantipora and Pampore areas of the south Kashmir while clashes raged at these places. The Banihal-Baramulla train service was also suspended by authorities in view of prevailing situation.DIG South Kashmir, SP Pani, told media men that the government forces were fired upon by militants present among protesters. “In the firing, two of our jawans sustained bullet injuries and they have been hospitalized. However both are stable,” he said, adding that one civilian present among protesters was also killed in the firing. The top officer said a total of 13 persons were injured in the clashes and denied any link of Jalal-ud-Din’s death with the protests.