Three Terrorists, Seven Stone Pelters Killed During Anti-Terror Operations In Kashmir’s Pulwama District

Three terrorists belonging to the radical Islamic terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and an army soldier were killed in a pitched gunfight in the troubled Pulwama district in south Kashmir on Saturday (15 December), Times Of India reported.

At least seven protesters including a teenager were killed and more than 20 others injured when security forces resorted to firing on protesters who thronged the site of the encounter in large numbers in an attempt to hamper the anti-terror operations.

The incident took place at Sirnoo village when a joint team of army, Central Reserve Police Force and special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir police laid siege to a locality based on specific intelligence reports about the presence of three terrorists, including an Army deserter — Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, in the area, police officials said. Thoker had gone missing from an Army unit in the Gantmulla area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district in July last year.

During the search operations, militants in a hideout located amidst orchards between Sirnoo and Monghama villages indiscriminately fired on the security forces. The fire was immediately returned and resulted in a gunfight.

The encounter ended in 25 minutes with the killing of the three terrorists, who were later identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, a resident of Sirnoo (Pulwama), Adnan Hameed Bhat of Karimabad (Pulwama) and Bilal Ahmad Magray of Rajpora (Pulwama).

An army jawan lost his life in the gunfight, while two other soldiers suffered serious injuries and are in critical condition. The deceased jawan has been identified as Kishan Singh of army’s 55 Rashtriya Rifles.

According to the local police, as the news of Thoker being trapped in the gun battle spread, scores of local youth rushed to the scene of the gun-battle and started hurling stones and bricks on the forces in an attempt to impede the anti-terror operation. Many of them sustained injuries as troops fired live ammunition to chase away the protesters. At least seven protesters later succumbed to their injuries.

Thoker had deserted army last year and joined Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. He was working with army’s 173 territorial unit. A known terrorist commander, he was wanted in a series of militancy crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities.

Protests erupted across the valley over the death of 7 protestors. Authorities have snapped mobile internet facility in entire south Kashmir comprising four districts.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and the former chief minister of the state Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of seven ‘civilians’.