Security forces on Thursday shot dead a top-ranking Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Mannan Bashir Wani alongwith an associate in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district while unknown gunmen shot dead a separatist activist in southern Shopian district.
Wani was emerging as a popular terrorist across the Valley for his educational background and scholarly discourses he had recently engaged himself in.
The separatists have called for a shutdown across the valley on Friday to mourn Wani’s killing while several mainstream leaders including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti have regretted his death.
Sources said Wani and his associate were trapped in a residential house in Shatgund Bala village in Mawar belt of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district early on Thursday. The area was cordoned off by troops of 30 Rashtriya Rifles and counterinsurgency police on a specific input that led to exchange of fire.
Police said two terrorists were killed in the shootout and one of them was identified as Manan Bashir Wani, who joined the terrorist ranks last year after quitting his doctoral research in geology department of Aligarh Muslim University. Wani had written two articles in past three months explaining his decision to quit studies and joining the separatist movement in Kashmir.
The authorities filed a case against a news gathering agency that published his first article on website. The agency later pulled the article down. Wani circulated his second article through social media, which became an instant hit.
Soon after the news about the death of two terrorists spread, violent clashes erupted in parts of Kupwara and Handwara.
The authorities announced closure of schools and colleges in north Kashmir parts and several restive pockets of south Kashmir.
Wani’s associate who died in the gunfight was identified as Ashiq Hussain Zargar, a resident of Tulwari village in Langate.
Sources said that tens of thousands of people joined the funeral prayers of the slain terrorist who was ranked among the most-wanted cadre of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a grouping of separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwai Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik called for a valley-wide shutdown on Friday to mourn Manan Wani’s death.
“Alas! heard the tragic news of #MananWani’s Martyrdom and of his associates! Deeply pained that we lost a budding intellectual and writer like him, fighting for the cause of self-determination. JRL appeals to people to observe a complete #Shutdown tomorrow to pay homage to him,” Mirwaiz wrote on twitter.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti termed the killing as “loss” and urged to resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue with all stakeholders including Pakistan.
“Today a PhD scholar chose death over life & was killed in an encounter. His death is entirely our loss as we are losing young educated boys every day,” she said.
“It is high time that all the political parties in the country realise the gravity of this situation and try to facilitate a solution through dialogue with all the stakeholders including Pakistan to end this bloodshed,” Mehbooba wrote in another tweet. Wani took up arms during Mehbooba led PDP-BJP coalition in the state.
Legislator Sheikh Rashid said the killing of Manan Wani negates Governor Satya Paul Malik’s claim that we should focus on eliminating militancy rather killing terrorists. Rashid represents Langate constituency where the encounter took place.
“Rather celebrating the killing and using bullets and pallets to disperse thousands of protesters at the encounter site, the Government should introspect as to what forces masses to play with their lives,” he said.