2 Hizb militants killed in Budgam

An injured student being shifted to SMHS hospital on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Shakeel
An injured student being shifted to SMHS hospital on Wednesday. —Excelsior/Shakeel

19 students injured in mysterious blast

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 13: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a gun battle in Chadoora area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district early today while 19 school children were injured in a mysterious blast in their class room in Pulwama district of South Kashmir.
Security forces cordoned off Gopalpora village in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district early today after inputs about the presence of militants. As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants and the troops returned the fire, leading to a gunfight.
Two militants were killed in the gun battle and their bodies were retrieved from the site along with the arms and ammunition. They have been identified as Hilal Ahmad Wani son of Mohammad Akram Wani and Shoaib Mohammad Lone alias Mursi son of Late Arshad Hussain.
Both the militants were affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen and were wanted by security forces for various militancy related incidents including attacks on security establishments and civilian.
A police spokesman said that Hilal Wani had a long history of terror crime records and was involved in several militant cases. “Hilal was the main person responsible for the recruitment into militancy. He was operating across the Southern and Central belts of the Valley ever since he had joined the militant ranks in 2015. He was also responsible for conspiring and executing many attacks on the security establishments in the Valley,” he added.
Police said that Shoaib Lone alias Mursi was involved in several attacks and other civilian atrocities and many cases were registered against him. “He was also part of groups involved in conspiring and executing attacks in the Valley,” police said.
Police said incriminating material including arms and ammunition, was recovered from the site of encounter. “All these materials have been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation and probe their complicity in other cases,” police said, adding that bodies of the slain were handed over to their family after completion of medico-legal formalities.
At least 19 students of 10th standard were injured when a mysterious blast took place this afternoon inside the class room in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The blast took place inside the class room of a private school Falahi-i-Milat at Narbal when around 37 students of 10th class were busy in tuition classes.
Senior Superintendent of Police Pulwama, Chandan Kohli, said that FIR has been registered and police is investigating the circumstances in which blast took place and nature of the explosive. “All the injured persons are stated to be stable”, he said.
Some of the injured were treated at a Kakapora hospital and others at Pulwama District hospital while 13 were referred Srinagar’s SMHS hospital.
Governor Satya Pal Malik this evening deeply regretted the unfortunate incident. He prayed for speedy recovery of all the children and announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 50,000 for all those injured. He has directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure best possible medical treatment to injured children.
An injured student, Faisal Dar, 16, who is being treated here in hospital told Excelsior that they were studying when the explosion took place in the class room. “We were studying and all of a sudden there was an explosion and we ran out and I saw my legs bleeding”, he said.
Principal of the School, Javed Ahmad, said: “I was taking class and heard a loud sound and as we went out and saw students injured in another class. We immediately rushed them to hospital.”
The injured have been identified as Momeen Mushtaq son of Mushtaq Dar of Gundibagh Kakapora, Akeel Ganie son of Ghulam Mohammad Ganie of Narbal, Faisal Dar son of Manzoor Ahmad Dar of Narbal, Arif Shah son of Bashir Ahmad Shah of Narbal, Ubaid Ahmed Mir son of Nazir Ahmed of Narbal, Umair Manzoor son of Manzoor Bhat of Narbal, Saima daughter of Mohammad Ayoub of Loswani, Masrat daughter of Mohammad Yousuf Dar of Naman, Uzma Nazir daughter of Nazir Ahmed of Urwan, Saika Gul daughter of Gul Mohammad of Urwan, Muneeba Shabir daughter of Shabir Ahmed of Narbal, Adil Wani son of Manzoor Ahmed of Narbal, Muneeb Rather son of Nazir Rather of Hakhripora, Rashid Ahmed son of Shabbir Mallah of Hakhripora, Faisal Ahmed son of Abdul Hamid Rather of Hakhripora, Ubaid Wani son of Farooq Ahmed of Narbal, Wasiq Rather son of Manzoor Ahmed of Hakhripora, Bisma daughter of Mohammad Yousuf Dar of Katibugh and Muskan daughter of Nazir Mir of Urwan.
Protests broke out soon after police reached the spot. Protesters threw stones at the police who fired tear gas to disperse them.
A 13-year-old boy was killed and another injured last week after they were fiddling with an explosive in Pulwama district.
They had found the explosive from the scene of a gun battle in a nearby village where two militants of Jash-e-Mohammad outfit were killed by the troops.
Meanwhile, militants tonight shot at Power Development Department employee in Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
He has been identified as PDD daily wage Lateef Ahmad. He was shot in Amlar area of Tral. He was shifted to nearby hospital for treatment and his condition is said to be stable as he was shot in the leg.

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