Three terrorists were killed in a pinpointed hideout in south Kashmir’s Kokernag pocket on Monday morning sending many parts of the Valley onto a tizzy, a week after situation was tending to return to normal following killings of four youngsters in Shopian on March 4.
The authorities immediately imposed strict restrictions under on the Assembly and movement of people and transport in sensitive parts of Srinagar city and towns of Anantnag and Shopian. Heavy deployment of security forces was made in the areas to maintain law and order. The educational institutions were closed for the day and examinations postponed.
Sources said three terrorists were killed in a brief gunfight at Hakoora area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district in the wee hours on Monday.
An Army official said that a joint team of police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search operation at Hakoora village in midnight hours on the basis of specific inputs about the presence of some terrorists inside a residential house.
As the searches were intensified, some warning shots were fired towards the suspected spot, the group of terrorists comprising of three members tried to break the cordon and opened fire upon the joint team. The fire was responded triggering off a brief exchange of fire adding that the trio was killed in the retaliatory action.
While one terrorist Essa Fazili belongs to Soura area of capital Srinagar, the security sources said another terrorist belonged to Vailoo Anantnag and the identity of third terrorist was being ascertained.
Shops, business establishments and private offices in the areas remained closed under restrictions that has impacted the movement of general people and also impacted the attendance in Government and private offices. Public transport also remained off the roads while scanty private transport and public transport plied in other areas not under restrictions.
Authorities announced closure of all schools and colleges in Srinagar district even as Kashmir University and Islamic University of Science & Technology also suspended class work and postponed all their exams. The State Board of School Education also postponed all its exams.
Train services in south Kashmir remained suspended while internet services were snapped in south Kashmir region. In Srinagar, the internet speed has been slowed down to the lowest impacting the high speed mobile internet services barring BSNl broadband services.
Reports of clashes between protesters and the security forces were received from Kokernag, Anantnag and few other south Kashmir areas.
Reports said clashes erupted between protesters and security forces in Soura and adjacent areas after body of Fazili was handed over to his family members in the morning.
Hundreds of people from the area and adjacent areas were seen carrying the body of the slain terrorist as preparation was underway for his funeral and burial. Eesa belonged to educated family and was B Tech student before joining militancy. Hs father Naeem Fazili, a renowned educationist, announced the death of his son on his facebook wall. Reports of stone pelting were also received from various areas in Srinagar district
The authorities placed senior Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq under house arrest at his Nigeen residence in Srinagar outskirts, to prevent him from joining Fazili’s funeral. Yasin Malik, another senior separatist leader was taken into custody while Syed Ali Geelani continued to remain under house arrest.