Apple merchant, labourer shot dead in S Kashmir
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 16: Three militants were killed in an encounter in South Kashmir’s Bijbehara area of Anantnag district while an apple merchant and a non-local labourer were shot dead by militants in South Kashmir today.
Security forces this morning cordoned off Pazalpora village in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district after inputs about presence of militants inside the village. During the searches, hiding militants opened fire on the troops leading to a gun battle which lasted for several hours.
Three houses were damaged in the encounter as security forces fired RLs to destroy them. Three militants were killed in the encounter and their charred bodies were later recovered from the debris of these houses.
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The militants were identified as Nazir Gulzar of Arwani area of Kulgam, Aqib Hajam of Redwani area of Kulgam and Zahid Lone of Taqiya Maqsood Bijbehara in Anantnag district. One Insas rifle and two pistols were recovered from the debris of the houses.
Security forces imposed restrictions on the movement of people in Bijbehara and Anantnag towns of the district to prevent any law and order problem. The militants were later buried in their respective villages.
A fruit merchant was killed and another critically injured when militants fired at them in Shopian district of South Kashmir this evening.
Police said that gun men opened fire at two fruit merchants at Trenz village in Shopian this evening. One of them Charenjeet Singh of Ferozpur in Punjab died on the spot and another Sanjeev Kumar of Gurdaspur Punjab was injured in the attack.
Kumar was shifted to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for treatment and he is being treated here. The duo were living in the village and were procuring apples from the growers for last one month. They were loading apples in the truck when they were fired at. Militants also set ablaze the apple truck. However, residents immediately reached the spot and extinguished the fire.
Security forces reached the spot and massive manhunt has been launched against the militants responsible for the killing of the apple trader.
A labourer was also shot dead at Kakapora area of Pulwama district earlier today. The labourer was identified as Shetty Kumar Sagar son of Kaniya Lal Sagar of Bailsa Chhattisgarh.
Sources said that two labourers who were working in a nearby brick kiln were walking on Railway track this afternoon. They were stopped by suspected militants and one of them was asked to leave and another was shot dead.
Police and security forces reached the spot and recovered body of the labourer. They also conducted searches in the area but no one was arrested.
And the man who is believed to be the brain behind the unrest in Soura since August 4 was arrested by police last night.
Police last night nabbed Hyat Ahmad Bhat when he was shifting from Anchar area last night. He was interrogated as police alleged that he was the brain behind the protest in the area, which has remained out of bounds for security forces since August 5.
Police sources said that Bhat was instrumental in mobilising people for protests in and around Jenab Sahib Soura.
Formerly affiliated with Muslim League, Bhat was earlier booked two times Public Safety Act as there were 16 cases registered against him pertaining to law and order disturbances.
The police have registered three fresh cases against him this year at Soura police station for his involvement in fomenting trouble in the area.
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