Srinagar: The identity of the fifth militant killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Kiloora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district has been revealed.
The slain, according to a source, has been identified as Arif Ahmad from Yannar village, located 17 km from Pahalgam on Khanabal-Pahlagam road. He had joined militancy barely a week ago, said the source.
After the news of his death reached the village, thousands of people participated in the militant’s burial. Local sources, however, said that the body of Arif is yet to reach his ancestral village.
Earlier, an official identified four militants bodies as Arshad Ahmad of Ganowpora Balpora, Waqar Ahmad Sheikh of Malikgund, Aijaz Ahmad Paul of Lousdanew and Umar Malik of Malikgund.
Internet services had been suspended as a ‘precautionary measure’. An official said that both the mobile Internet and Broadband service were suspended “as a precautionary measure” to prevent protests.
DGP SP Vaid said the militants were “learnt to be part of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit”.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between civilians and armed forces near the gunfight site in Kiloora village.
Reports stated that youth took to streets and clashed with the forces deployed in the village to disrupt the ongoing operation against the militants trapped inside a residential house. At least twenty protesters have been injured, reports said.
Hospital sources told Greater Kashmir that at least twenty people were brought to District Hospital Shopian for treatment.
He said five injured were referred to a hospital in Srinagar for specialized treatment. One of the injured has been hit by a bullet in his shoulder while four others were hit by pellets.
Earlier, on Friday night, a militant was killed and the body recovered after exchange of fire erupted following joint search operations by the armed forces and state police in Kilora village.
In Drusoo village of Sopore on Friday, two militants were killed and an army man and a policeman injured during an ongoing gunfight between militants and armed forces.
An official confirmed that two bodies of the militants were recovered from the site of the gunfight.
A soldier and the cop sustained injures in the fresh exchange of fire, GNS news agency quoted SSP Sopore Javaid Iqbal as having said.
He said that both the injured have been evacuated and taken to a hospital for treatment.
Earlier, Javaid said a cordon-and-search operation was launched at Drusoo village following specific information about the presence of two militants inside a residential house.
