Violence erupted after protestors came too close to encounter site where 3 terrorists were killed
Seven civilians were killed and over 40 were injured after security forces allegedly opened fire on protestors near an encounter site in Sirnoo village of South Kashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday. Three terrorists, including an army-deserter-turned-terrorist, and a soldier were killed in the gun battle.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning when security forces launched an operation after receiving an input about the presence of terrorists in Monghama area of Sirnoo village in the Pulwama district.
The terrorists, who were hiding in the open field, fired on the troops, leading to a fierce encounter. "Consequently, army personnel were injured. One of them later succumbed while others are being treated at a hospital," said a police spokesman.
The slain soldier has been identified as Kishan Singh. Hailing from Churu district of Rajasthan, the 31-year-old slain solider is survived by his wife, Santosh Kanwar.
In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists were killed. One of them was identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thoker. "Pertinently, Zahoor had deserted the Army in 2017 and joined Hizbul Mujahideen. He was a known terrorist commander and was wanted for his complicity in a series of terror crimes, including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities," said the spokesman.
Soon after news of the encounter broke, hundreds of villagers marched towards the gun battle site. Protestors clashed with the security forces, which in turn opened fire in which seven civilians were killed and over 40 injured.
"While the operation was going on, a crowd came dangerously close from different parts to the encounter site," said a police spokesman.
Dr Rasheed Parra, Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama, said they received 32 multiple casualties during the day. "Out of these, six were brought dead. All had bullet injuries. Some 12 to 14 injured were referred (to Srinagar hospitals)," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Police said they regretted the loss of civilians and appealed to citizens to remain away from the encounter site as it is a prohibited zone, which involves significant danger to life because of the nature of the gun fight.
Tension gripped Kashmir as authorities snapped mobile internet to avoid rumour-mongering. Clashes were reported from different parts of the valley with youth taking to the streets against the killings.
The killings evoked sharp reactions from the mainstream and separatists alike. Joint Resistance Leadership of separatists called for a three-day shutdown and a march to Army's 15 corps headquarters on Monday.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah described the civilian killings as a "massacre". "It was a massacre orchestrated as a result of a badly executed encounter. It seems lessons have not been learnt. When we start expecting the situation to ease, incidents like these put us back from where we started," Omar said.
PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti asked, "(For) how long are they going to shoulder the coffins of our youngsters? So many civilians killed today post encounter in Pulwama. No country can win a war by killing its own people. I strongly condemn these killings , and once again appeal for efforts, to stop this blood bath," she tweeted.
Tragedy befell Lone family when their son Abid Hussain Lone was killed in Pulwama. Abid was among the seven civilians shot dead in Sirnoo village on Saturday. An MBA, he was married to an Indonesian woman and the couple was blessed with a baby a few months ago.
Probe & curfew
- Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik ordered an enquiry into the incident. "Governor directed Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to inquire into incident that happened in Pulwama on Saturday and suggest precautions to minimise civilian casualties in anti-militancy operations," said an official spokesman
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- Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in Pulwama to avoid any law and order breakdown. "We have imposed restrictions in the district," said GM Dar, district development commissioner, Pulwama
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