Civilian, 2 militants killed in Kulgam encounter
One militant caught alive
Srinagar, Jun 24: Two militants, including a Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, and a civilian were killed in a gunfight and ensuing clashes in a Kulgam village on Sunday while a militant was caught alive from the site of the gunfight, police said.
The police said that a tip-off had been received about the presence of some militants at Chadder village in Qaimoh area of Kulgam district this afternoon, following which a joint team of police along with the Army and the CRPF cordoned off the house in which militants were holed up.
Appeals were made to the militants to surrender but they opened fire at the government forces, triggering a gunfight, the police said.
Shakoor Ahmad Dar, a divisional commander of the LeT and an A++ category militant, was killed in the encounter along with another militant.
The identity of the second militant killed in the encounter was yet to be ascertained. He is believed to be a Pakistani national, according to the police.
“The third militant surrendered before the forces, along with arms and ammunition,” police said.
“We followed the standard operating procedure during which two terrorists were killed and one, who had joined militancy recently, surrendered. He has been taken into custody,” Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Range) Swayam Prakash Pani said here.
The militant caught alive was identified as Shakir Ahmad, who had reportedly joined the outfit few months ago.
As the encounter was on, clashes also ensued between groups of youths and government forces, who responded by firing live ammunition, tear-gas and pellets, resulting in injuries to over-a-dozen people.
Reports said that one of the injured, identified as Yawar Ahmad Dar of Gassipora suffered critical injuries in the forces’ action. He was shifted to District Hospital Anantnag where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
