Hizbul Mujahideen outfit received another jolt in Kashmir on Wednesday after security forces shot dead two terrorists during a gunfight in Nowgam pocket of Srinagar outskirts. The encounter took place a day after Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed security situation during his day-long visit to Kashmir. The authorities closed educational institutions in the capital city and snapped mobile internet to prevent public mobilisation against the killings.
A police spokesman said that gunfight erupted in Wanbal area of Nowgam in the outskirts of Srinagar city in the wee hours when terrorists opened fire on a search party of security forces. “During a search operation, terroristsfired upon the search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed,” the spokesman said.
He said standard operating procedure (SOP) was followed during the encounter and no collateral damage took place.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter,” he added.
The slain terrorists have been identified as Sabzar Ahmad Sofi and Asif Gojri. Sofi was reportedly pursuing doctoral research in a Delhi based University before joining the terrorist ranks last year. With his killing, the security forces have killed most of the highly qualified youngsters who embarked on secessionist path after the public uprising in Kashmir triggered by killing of Burhan Wani in July 2016. Earlier this month, Mannan Wani, another doctoral researcher in Geology was killed in an encounter in north Kashmir’s Handwara area. Mannan abandoned his research in Aligarh Muslim University to join the Hizbul Mujahideen ranks. An Assistant Professor in the sociology department of Kashmir University, Dr Rafi Bhat was also killed in Shopian district of south Kashmir earlier this year. Bhat was killed within 24 hours of his joining the terrorist ranks.
Police issued advisory to the people against entering into the encounter site due to dangers posed by uncleared explosive materials. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosives materials, if any,” police said.
The advisory was issued in the backdrop of killing of seven civilians last Sunday at Laroo village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The civilians died in a mysterious explosion in front of a burnt house during a fierce exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces. Three local terrorists were killed in the encounter but local civilians became casualty when they entered the encounter site abandoned by the security forces without sanitisation.
Rajnath Singh described the deaths as “unfortunate” and announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lacs to the next of kin of each deceased civilian.
After the latest killings, the authorities ordered closure of schools and colleges in Srinagar district. The class work at Kashmir University was also suspended as a precautionary measure to prevent student protests against the killing of terrorists. Scores of youth took to the streets and clashed with forces in Anantnag pockets resulting in injuries to many protestors. Protesters were reportedly shouting pro-freedom and anti-Government slogans and engaged in stone pelting against the security forces. The security forces used tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protesting people which led to the injuries to many protestors.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a grouping of prominent separatist leaders called for shutdown against Sabzar’s killing on Thursday.
Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq blamed “obduracy and arrogance of New Delhi” for the killing of educated youngsters. In a statement he said New Delhi does not want to resolve the Kashmir dispute but instead resorts to subjugation and repression, forcing our youth to a path of “armed resistance and martyrdom”.