More than 40 injured, 12 of them with pellets and bullets; militants offer gun salute
Srinagar, Dec 19: A woman was killed at Shopian in action by government forces amid a gunfight in which two militants were killed and two forces personnel were injured in the south Kashmir district on Tuesday.
Reports, said that massive clashes broke out near the encounter site at Batmuran hamlet of Wanpora. The encounter between militants and joint team of 44 RR, SOG and CRPF started on Monday evening.
As the police claimed to have killed two militants and recovered their bodies along with as many rifles from the site, the locals including women and youth clashed with police and paramilitary forces.
The forces used tear smoke shells and fired some aerial shots to disperse them, resulting in injuries to more than 40 persons including a woman identified as Rubby Jan (24) alias Beauty wife of Manzoor Ahmad Mir. 12 of the injured have received bullet and pellet injuries, sources said.
All the injured were initially shifted to local hospital where the woman Rubby Jan succumbed to injuries having received gunshot in her abdomen. The 12 injured have been shifted to different hospitals in Srinagar.
Meanwhile a police spokesman in a statement, said that acting on a specific input, Police along with 44RR and 14 Bn CRPF cordoned a cluster of houses at village Bata Murran Shopian. While the cordon was being laid, he said, hiding militants fired upon the joint search party, ensuing an encounter. The cordon was strengthened and the civilians of nearby area were evacuated.
“During the encounter, on the request of family, police made repeated announcement to get Tanveer surrendered, which he ignored. The militant continued firing on the forces which was retaliated,” the spokesman said.
“Two JeM militants were killed in the encounter and have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad from Bata Murran Shopian and Ali alias Qari, a foreign militant. Two AK rifles and other allied ammunition were recovered from the encounter site,” the spokesman said.
He said two forces personnel, a soldier from 44 RR and a police personnel of Shopian Police were also injured during the encounter. “Their condition is stated to be stable. Moreover, another militant fled from the encounter site by taking advantage of the darkness,” the spokesman said.
He added: “During cross firing one lady identified as Ruby @Beauty wife of Manzoor Ahmad Mir of Bata Marran got critical injured who later on succumbed to her injuries at District hospital Pulwama. Nine civilians were also injured whose condition is said to be stable.”
The spokesman claimed that the slain militants were involved in a number of incidents including the recent attack on the vehicle of J&K Bank near Poju Shopian on December 11 in which two bank guards were killed.
Meanwhile, gun salute was given to Tanveer by his comrades in the area. (GNS)