Violence marked the day in Kashmir on Thursday as three terrorists, including a top-ranking commander of banned Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), a soldier, a civilian and an Army porter were killed in separate incidents of violence in southern, central and northern parts of Valley. The separatists have called for a shutdown on Friday against the killing of a civilian in capital Srinagar where spontaneous protests erupted to throw the normal life out of gear.
Official sources said that two local terrorists were killed in an encounter at Panzan area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district where gunfight erupted during a security forces’ raid on a terrorist hideout. Two army personnel were injured in the operation launched in the area on Thursday morning.
Police identified the slain terrorists as Sheeraz Ahmad Bhat and Irfan Ahmad Dar, both affiliated to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Dar was previously a Special Police Officer (SPO) who deserted the constabulary two months ago to join the terrorist ranks. Security sources said that arms and ammunition was also recovered from the gunfight site.
The SPOs are non-regular policemen engaged on contractual basis to assist regular police in normal policing or counter-insurgency duties. The terrorists have recently launched an offensive against the SPOs forcing them to tender resignations. However, the authorities in turn, doubled their wages with provision of their absorption in the regular ranks and promising incentives in case they lost their lives in counter-insurgency pursuits.
In another incident, LeT outfit received a jolt when a local terrorist identified as Asif Malik working as its commander was killed during an operation at Gazi Gund Dooru in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. An army man identified as Happy Singh of 19 Rashtriya Rifles was also killed in the encounter.
In another incident, a non-local labourer working with Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was killed as Army fired upon the person during an ambush (normally laid for terrorists) in Chowkibal area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Security sources said that the person was alerted but he tried to run away. The army opened fire on him resulting to his instant death. The identity of the slain porter was being ascertained.
The normal life was affected in most parts of capital Srinagar after protests erupted against the killing of a youngster Saleem Malik in a shootout in old city parts. Police said Malik died in a shootout between terrorists and security forces, a contention refuted by the locals.
“Security forces on a credible input cordoned off a cluster of houses in Noorbagh Srinagar area where the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately resulting in the death of an individual identified as Saleem Malik,” police said in a statement. The locals said that Malik was feeding sheep in the vicinity of his house when security forces opened fire on him.
Former legislative assembly speaker and legislator Mubarak Gul demanded thorough probe into the killing. “The civilian killing by the security forces during cordon and search operation is unfortunate and condemnable,” Gul said in a statement and demanded a thorough time-bound investigation into the killing.
Pradesh Congress Committee also condemned the killing describing it as “highly painful and shocking.”
Locals said that there were no terrorists present in the area and the claims about the killing during an encounter were baseless.
Protests and clashes with security forces erupted after the killing in several sensitive parts of old Srinagar. At least nine protesters were injured with tear gas shells and pellets during these clashes.
Reports of clashes between protesters and security personnel also erupted from Budgam areas.
Scores of Kashmir University students reportedly held a peaceful protest against the killing of Noorbagh civilian.
Reports said that multiple rounds of funeral prayers with thousands of mourners were held for the slain LeT Commander Asif Malik killed in Gazigund Dooru area of Anantnag.
The mobile high speed internet services in Anantnag and Budgam were snapped. In Srinagar, the mobile internet services were restored late in the evening. The authorities closed educational institutions in Budgam and Srinagar districts to prevent student protests.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL)- a grouping of separatist political organisations represented by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, called for a complete shutdown on Friday against the killing of a civilian in Noorbagh area of Srinagar.
“JRL asks people to register protest by observing hartal on Friday against the continued killing of Kashmiris at the hands of Indian forces, arrest spree of resistance activists and supporters. State terror has been unleashed under CASOs to wipe out and harass Kashmiris unabashedly!,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on twitter.