Clashes erupted in south Kashmir’s Shopian-Rajpora belt on Wednesday after security forces cordoned off a village that led to killing of two terrorists and a 17-year-old youngster on Wednesday. The youngster was killed when protesters allegedly attempted to disrupt the operation to ensure passage to holed up terrorists who were eventually killed in a sustained operation. The slain terrorists belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen and lashkar-e-Tayyeba outfits.
The encounter triggered off on a day when security has been beefed up in the entire Valley in the wake of the Republic Day. The separatists groups have called to observe shutdown in the region and asked people to stay away from the RD functions.
Sources said security forces, including columns of Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and counterinsurgency police cordoned off Chaigund village in Shopian-Rajpora belt of south Kashmir, on Wednesday following specific input on presence of a group of terrorists there.
They said two teenage boys sustained injuries after police and paramilitary forces used teargas shells, pellet guns and fired aerial shots to disperse the protesting youth.
One among the injured identified as Shakir Ahmad Mir was declared brought dead at Primary Health Centre in the district. Sources said Shakir had received a fatal bullet wound in his chest.
Two girls sustained bullet injuries. Eyewitnesses said Mir, a resident of neighbouring Qalampora village was walking along-with his sister in the area when the clashes broke out.
Even as the situation took a worse turn after the killing of youngster, the security forces continued the operation against terrorists and till late in the evening, two terrorists were shot dead. local sources said that the slain terrorists have been identified as Sameer Ahmad Wani and Firdous Ahmad, both local residents.