Anger in Kashmir over civilian's death

Anger has swept across the valley after one of the two alleged `militants' killed by the army turned out to be the brother of another wanted ultra in Kamla forests of the volatile Tral area in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. An army jawan was also injured in the encounter.

However, army has given a new spin to the whole incident saying the militant's slain brother Khalid Muzaffar Wani was in fact the over ground worker (OGW) who had taken three other youth to jungles for recruitment in the militant ranks.

Violent protests rocked Tral as people pelted stones at the security forces deployments on Tuesday. Around 10 protestors suffered wounds in the ding dong battle. Police said they exercised restrain despite the snatching of a rifle by the violent mob from the CRPF personal.

Police said four youth led by Khalid Muzaffar Wani had gone to Kamla Forests in Tral to meet the militants led by Khalid's brother and Hizbul-Mujhadeen commander for south Kashmir Burhan on Monday. However, when they reached the jungles there was an exchange of fire between the ultras and the security forces.

Bodies of two persons were later recovered from the site. One of them was identified as Khalid, who had gone to serve food to his brother. "The second body was of the recently recruited militant (Younis Ahmad Ganie)", Nitesh Kumar, deputy inspector general of police, south Kashmir range.

Younis Ahmad Ganie had joined militant ranks in the first week of this month and he had allegedly shot at and injured the surrendered militant of Hizb-ul-Mujhadeen Rafiq Dada in Tral on April 6, sources said. Three other youth were later handed over to the police for interrogation.

What added a new twist to the whole saga was the assertion of the army that Khalid was over ground worker (OGW) of militants and had taken three other youth for the militant recruitment.

"It has been confirmed that Khalid Wani, who has been operating as OGW, had taken the three youth , who were later arrested by police, to meet Burhan for their recruitment into terrorist outfit. The incident has thus prevented the three youth from being misguided by late Khalid Wani into joining the militant ranks", said Lieutenant Colonel NN Joshi, defence spokesman at Srinagar.

Elaborating, Lt Col Joshi noted that around 5pm on Monday a patrol operating at Kamla Forest was fired upon by terrorists in which one soldier suffered gunshot wound.

"The fire fight ensued with terrorists. Once the firing subsided, search of the area was undertaken from which a body along with two AK 47 rifles and warlike stores were recovered. Later the body was identified to be of the listed over ground worker Khalid Wani, brother of Burhan, Hizbul Mujahedeen commander for South Kashmir", he said.

The incident has given new ammunition to the separatists led by Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani who have called for shutdown in Tral on Wednesday and Tral March on Friday against the killing.

Several separatist leaders including JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik and recently released Hurriyat hardliner and face of 2010 agitation Masarat Alam were detained on way to Tral.

Main opposition National Conference has termed the killing of a youth highly condemnable and demanded a magisterial probe into the matter.

"If the narrative of the victim's family is found to be correct, there should be immediate arrests and visible action against those involved", NC Spokesman Junaid Mattu said.