Srinagar, March 16 (KNO) : Suspected militants fired at the forces party at Frisal area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district with the forces retaliating triggering a brief shoot-out. Youth of area resorted to massive stone pelting on the forces, who responded with tear gas shells and pellets to disperse the protestors.
A militant was reportedly believed to be killed in the brief exchange of firing but after even a hour long searches, forces failed to recover the body raising apprehensions that either the militant was whisked away by his associates or he himself after receiving injuries, managed to escape from the spot.
Sources said that soon after gunshots were heard in the area youth took to streets and started pelting stones on government forces which was retaliated by smoking tear smoke and sound shells.“The youth resorting to massive clashes with the forces. The situation was tense,” said witnesses. A senior security official told KNO that they had inputs about the presence of three militants in the area however the possibility of their escaping cannot be ruled out.
“Search operation amid clashes is going on in the area. So far no militant body was recovered,” he said, wishing not to be named. The authorities in Kulgam have already snapped the internet facility in the area to prevent “large scale protests.”Sources said that the massive clashes in the area was hampering the search operation. They said that scores of youth started hurling rocks and bricks at the police with an aim to disrupt the operation.
“The irate youth blocked the roads with logs and placed rocks on roads to prevent forces’ movement,” he said, adding, clashes were on in the area till this report was filed. “It seems that the militants who were present in the area might have escaped,” they said.(KNO)