Barely few hours after Government Forces claimed that it gunned down four militants in a brief encounter in North Kashmir’s Sumbal area of Bandipora district, massive clashes between protesters and Forces personnel broke out while sensing trouble, authorities blocked internet and mobile services in the area.Police on early Monday claimed that during a pre-dawn operation, Para-military Central Reserve Police Force personnel from 45 Battalion foiled a Fidayeen attack and gunned down four non-local militants.The fidayeen militants kept firing as they tried to enter the camp. The attack was effectively repulsed by the CRPF sentry and Sumbal Police," CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told reporters.A Police official said that as militants tried to enter into CRPF camp, they faced stiff resistance and fall prey to bullets of Para-military troopers. Jammu Kashmir Police Chief SP Vaid tweeted a picture of the four AK-47 rifles and other ammunition, he said were recovered from the slain militants.
The identity of the militants according to a police official was not ascertained and it is believed they are all non-locals. SSP Bandipora, Zulifkar Azad told CNS that all the four militants killed were foreigners. “Arms and ammunition was recovered from them. They have been buried in a graveyard at Uri where unidentified militants are being buried,” he said.The gunfight occurred during the dead of the night. As the news about the death of four ‘militants’ spread in the area, people appeared on roads and clashed with the government forces. Reports said that protesters amid pro-freedom slogans hurled rocks at police station Sumbal while cops retaliated with tear-smoke shells.Life was completely disrupted due to the killing of militants and subsequent clashes. Witnesses added that all shops and business establishments remained shut while skeletal movement of transport was observed on the roads.Cellular network including mobile internet were also been suspended. “This has been done to maintain law and order. State-run BSNL phones are working,” said an official. (CNS)