Three civilians, Army man killed in ongoing encounter and protests in south Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Three civilians, including two minors and an Army man was killed and three armed forces personnel were injured in an ongoing encounter and protests in Khudwani area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.

Soon after the gunfight started in Wani Mohallah of Khudwani at around 11:30pm last night, locals came out to protest near the encounter site to disrupt the anti-militancy operation. During the protests, a 28-year-old civilian Sharjeel Ahmad received bullet injuries in stomach and succumbed. He was declared dead at district hospital. Another civilian Bilal Ahmad,16, also succumbed to bullet injuries. A 14-year-old boy from Shopian has also received bullet injuries and succumbed.

Even as the encounter is going on, the protests in nearby areas also intensified. More than 40 locals, police say, have received injuries as armed forces resorted to firing bullets, pellets and tear smoke canisters to disperse the crowd. Two youths have received pellet injuries in eyes and have been shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar. The students at Kashmir University also started protested in wake of the civilian killings in Kulgam.

The government has snapped the Internet in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir and all the educational institutions have been closed in Kulgam district and adjoining areas. The train services from Srinagar to Banihal have also been suspended.

“All of us are sitting in one room of our house and continue to hear gunshots,” a local from Kulgam, who lives near the encounter site, told ET over phone.In 2018, till now, around 100 people including 24 civilians, 48 militants and 27 police, army and paramilitary forces were killed.

J&K police officials claim that two to three militants are trapped in the house. “As room intervention is not possible, so the house may be blasted soon,” a police official told ET.

J&K police claims that Sharjeel was killed in crossfire. Many locals claim that Sahrjeel was pushed by the armed forces towards the house, where militants were staying. “We are ascertaining the facts and and also checking how second civilian Bilal was killed,”

A joint team of Army’s 1 RR, Special Operation Group of J&K police, CRPF started cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah. “Cordon and search operation in Wani Mohallah turns into encounter. Information preliminary and details being collected,” J&K police spokesperson said.

“It’s not Operation All Out but Operation Wipe Out launched by Indian state as 13 year old minor Bilal falls victim to forces bullets after 26 year Sharjeels brutal killing at #Kulgam! Injured at hospitals battling for life and limb with pellets injuries threatening eye sights,” Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz tweeted. The government once again put all Hurriyat leaders under house arrest or detention after claiming that they were free to go anywhere in the state.

In another tweet Mirwaiz said, “Houses and shops being blown up by explosives. Appeal UN and international community to step in as situation is dire.”

In the first week of April, 13 militants, five civilians and three army men were killed in three different encounters and protests in south Kashmir, after which Kashmir Valley observed shutdown for four days.

After killing of Burhan Wani in 2016 militancy gathered steam and became deadlier as around 100 locals joined militancy in 2016, 124 in 2017 and around 27 in 2018 till now. The government launched Operation All Out to wipe out the militancy and killed more than 213 militants in 2017.