Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 4: Three civilians and a militant were killed in Shopian district of South Kashmir this evening in a brief gun battle.
A militant identified as Shahid Ahmad Dar son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar of Jamnagari was killed as he fired at an Army vehicle at Pahnoo in Shopian district of South Kashmir this evening. Three civilians who were travelling in a Swift car were also killed in the gun battle. They have been identified as Suhail Khalil Wagay of Pinjoora Shopian, Mohammad Shahid Khan of Malikgund Shopian and Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay of Trenz Shopian.
Sketchy details about the incident are coming out from the Shopian district with Police was tight lipped on it. Residents, however, said that these civilians were travelling in a Swift car when the incident took place and were killed in retaliatory fire by Army.
Police immediately reached the spot and took possession of the bodies. The bodies have been kept at District Police Lines Shopian for the medico legal formalities.
Protests broke out at several places in Shopian town against the killing of the civilians. Senior Police officers including DIG South Kashmir rushed to Shopian to deal with the law and order. Security has been intensified to prevent any clashes.
The Mobile internet services were snapped in Shopian and Pulwama districts of South Kashmir to prevent any flare up in protests.
Srinagar based Defence Ministry spokesman, Col Rajesh Kalia, said here that militants attacked Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) of army’s 44 RR at Pahnoo village at around 2000 hours.
The fire was retaliated triggering off a gunfight. He said that in the exchange of gunfire a militant was killed and his body along with an AK-rifle was recovered. “Three of his accomplices, OGWs, were also found dead in the car in which they were travelling”, he said.
In the meantime, separatist leaders comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohamamd Yasin Malik, today called for shutdown on March 5 (Monday) against the killing of three civilians in Shopian.
They had already called for shutdown on March 7 (Wednesday) against the shifting of prisoners from Kashmir jails to outside jails. Earlier, Dr Qasim Fakhtoo and Muhammad Shafi Shaereti were shifted to Udhampur and Hiranagar jails respectively.
And in the meantime, three persons were arrested during searches in North Kashmir’s Hajin area last night. Those arrested were identified as Mohammad Umar Dar, Gowhar Ahmad Parray and Sonaullah Bhat.
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