Three militants, soldier, civilian killed in Kashmir, JRL calls for shutdown tomorrow

SRINAGAR, SEP 27 (PTK):  Three militants, one soldier and a civilian were killed in three separate operations carried out by security forces in Kashmir valley today.

A soldier and a militant were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district while a civilian was killed allegedly in cross-firing during a search in Noorbagh area of Srinagar. In Pandan Chadoora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district security forces killed two militants who were trapped in a mosque.

The search operations and gunfights started almost simultaneously in the wee hours. In Srinagar’s Noorbagh, police said the militants had escaped and a civilian, Saleem Malik, had been killed in cross-firing.

“We have started searches in adjoining areas,” police said. Meanwhile restrictions were imposed in many parts of old city in Srinagar to prevent any escalation of protests and trace the militants.

 Authorities also suspended mobile internet services in affected areas of south and central Kashmir, including Srinagar which was restored in the evening. The Students of the Kashmir University (KU) and the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora protest against the killing of a civilian during a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in of Srinagar.

In Pandan Chadoora gunfight police said that the two militants killed were identified as Sheraz Ahmed, a resident of Kralwari and Irfan Ahmed of Nihama Pulwama. Police said that among killed militants Irfan Ahmad was former SPO who has deserted few months ago to join militant ranks.

In Anantnag Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Asif Malik alias Abu Ukasha of Khahgund Verinag was killed during gunfight. Reports reaching PTK said that huge number of people participated in the funeral prayers slain militant commander. Reports added that few militants also appeared in the funeral and offered gun salute to their slain comrade.

Meanwhile Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for a complete shutdown tomorrow against the killing of a civilian in Noorbagh area of Srinagar.

Taking to a social networking site Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote: “JRL asks People to register their strong protest by observing a complete hartal tomorrow Friday 28th September against the continued gruesome and barbaric killing of Kashmiri’s at the hands of Indian forces, arrest spree of resistance activists and supporters. State terror has been unleashed under CASO to wipe out and harass Kashmiri’s unabashedly!” (PTK)