Three militants were killed in a gunfight at Chattabal area of Srinagar city on Saturday. A teenage youth was also killed after a forces vehicle allegedly ran over him in Safa Kadal area during the clashes.
IGP Kashmir SP Pani said that three militants have been killed and their identity and group affiliation is being ascertained. “By appearance, the trio seem to be foreigners but still we are ascertaining their identities,” he said. Besides, 3 AK rifles large quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered from the encounter site. A police spokesman in a statement issued here said that on the basis of the materials recovered from the site it is found that the slain militants belonged to LeT. Soon after the encounter, the youth took to streets and clashed with the police and Paramilitary CRPF at Noor Bagh, Malik Sahib Safa Kadal, Cement Kadal and near Chattabal. All these areas are in the immediate periphery of the area where encounter started.
A civilian was killed at Noorbagh after the vehicle (Wanton) of police’s SOG department allegedly ran over him during clashes near Cement Kadal in Safa Kadal – the area adjoining the site of encounter. Police said that the civilian was killed after being hit by a police vehicle while local allege that the youth Adil Ahmad Yadoo of Safa Kadal was injured critically after the SOG vehicle ran over him near Cement Kadal. Meanwhile, sources said that three paramilitary CRPF personnel were injured in the encounter and have been hospitalized.
The encounter ensued after SOG and CRPF launched a joint cordon-and-search-operation at Gasi Mohalla in Chattabal following specific inputs about the presence of some militants. The authorities suspended internet in entire Srinagar district as soon as the gunfight broke out early Wednesday.