AGENCIES /
Three militants and a soldier were killed on Saturday in a gunfight in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, while seven civilians died after forces opened fire on protesters in subsequent clashes in the area on Saturday.
The gunfight broke out in Kharpora Sirnoo village after the government forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation following a tip-off about the presence of militants.
An army spokesman in Srinagar said that three militants and a soldier were killed in the gunfight. The slain militants were identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thokar, Adnan Hamid Bhat of Kareemabad and Bilal Ahmad Magray of Rajpora.
Seven civilians were killed and around 35 others were wounded after forces opened fire on protesters near the site of the gunfight. A police spokesman said that the civilians came “dangerously close” to the site of the gunfight, reports Greater Kashmir.
The slain civilians were identified as Shahbaz Ali, resident of Monghama village, Suhail Ahmad of Bellow, Liyaqat Ahmad from Parigam, Murtaza of Prichoo, Amir Ahmad Palla of Ashminder and Abid Hussain Lone of Kareemabad.
News agency GNS reported that a civiian, identified as Touseef Ahmad Mir, who was critically injured in the forces’ action succumbed at SMHS hospital.
Mir, it said, was injured in forces’ action in Sirnoo and was taken to district hospital Pulwama where from he was referred to SMHS Srinagar. However, he succumbed due to grave injuries.
Giving details about the gunfight, a police spokesman said that a search operation was launched jointly by the security forces based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Monghama area of village Sirnoo today morning.
He said that the militants fired indiscriminately during the search operation from a hideout in an open field in the village.
“Consequently, army personnel got injured and one Army soldier succumbed to his injury while others are being treated at a hospital,” said the spokesman.
“While the operation was going on, a crowd who came dangerously close from different parts to the encounter site got injured,” he added.
He said the injured were evacuated to hospital where “unfortunately seven persons succumbed to their injuries.”
Others who were admitted in the hospital are stated to be stable, he said.
“The loss of civilians is deeply grieved. Police once again appeals the citizens to remain away from encounter site as it is a prohibited zone which involves significant danger to life because of nature of the encounter,” said the spokesman.
Pulwama killings a massacre: Omar Abdullah
AMN
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday termed the Pulwama civilian killings as a massacre and said there was no justification for this “excessive use of force”.
“7 dead. There is no explanation for this excessive use of force, none what so ever. This is a massacre & that’s the only way to describe it,” said Omar on Twitter.
Earlier, in a series of tweets, Omar targeted the governor Satya Pal Malik for failing for secure the lives of Kashmiri people.
“The administration of Governor Malik has only one task to focus on the security of the people of J&K and restore peace to a troubled valley. However, it appears that’s the only thing the administration is not doing,” he added.
Soz condemns Pulwama killing
Former Union Minister Prof. Saifuddin Soz has strongly condemned the PUlwama killing. In a statement to the press, he said: “I strongly condemn the use of extremely excessive force at Pulwama by the forces in which a dozen innocent civilians are reported to have been killed.
While having condemned heart-rending killings, I raise a question for the Modi Govt. as to what it wants to achieve through the massacres in Kashmir, one after the other.
The Central Govt. doesn’t see the writing on the wall that the number of killings through the use of excessive force generates enormous reaction by the armed militants and, therefore, the turmoil on ground.
In my opinion, the use of excessive force by the Army and Para-forces produces a wave of fresh recruitments into the armed militancy, all the time.
I am one of those who had been warning the Centre that its excessive use of force in Kashmir will never help it in any manner.
Modi Govt. should see a clear writing on the wall that the easiest way to settle Kashmir dispute is through the dialogue”.