Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 11: An Army Commando was killed and another injured in an encounter at Kandi forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today while a child was killed and four others injured when an explosive they were fiddling with went off in Shopian district of South Kashmir.
Army soldier of 4 PARA Sepoy Mukul Meena was serious injured in a gun battle at Sadu Ganga forest area of Kandi and was evacuated to military hospital Drugmulla where doctors declared him as brought dead and another soldier was injured and his condition is said to be stable.
The operation was launched in the area last evening after Army’s 47 RR and a group of militants exchanged fire in the forest area.
The militant group later managed to flee from the area. However, this afternoon it was again intercepted with the help of additional reinforcements of Army’s 4 PARA Commandos.
More troops have been rushed to the area and operation has been extended nearby forest areas.
And a 12-year-old boy was killed and three others injured after an explosive device went off in the compound of Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh at Memendar village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district today.
Four boys and a girl were injured in the blast when an explosive they were fiddling with went off accidentally.
The children were rushed to district hospital Shopian for treatment where one of the injured, identified as Saliq Khursheed, succumbed.
Three of the injured are critical and are undergoing treatment at Srinagar’s SMHS hospital. The injured have been identified as Arsalan son of Bilal Ahmad Sheikh, Suhaib son of Shabir Ahmad, Tahir son of Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh and Razia daughter of Hafizullah Sheikh, all residents of Memander Shopian.
A police official said the initial investigation suggested that the children were fiddling with the explosives and trying to find out how it reached in the compound.
Meanwhile, shutdown called by separatists against the civilian killings disrupted life across Kashmir today.
Separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik, had called for Valley-wide shutdown against the killings of civilians in Kashmir.
The strike was called against killing of two militants and a civilian and injuries to over 50 protesters during a gunfight in Shopian district yesterday.
Shops, businesses establishments, public transport and educational institutions remained closed in Srinagar and other district headquarters of the Valley today. However, private transport and some three wheelers were seen moving on uptown and city outskirts here.
Authorities made heavy deployments of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the old city areas here and other sensitive places without imposing any restrictions on civilian movement.
Train services between Baramulla town of the Valley and Banihal town were suspended though, as a precautionary measure.
Mobile Internet services also remained suspended in most parts of South Kashmir.
A 20-year-old youth was killed while another injured in alleged security forces firing at Trehgam area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.
Army allegedly opened fire after some youth pelted stones at their vehicles injuring two of them. One Khalid Gafar, 20, son of Abdul Gafar Malik was critically injured and was taken to nearby hospital. He, however, succumbed to injuries.
Soon after the news about the youth’s killing spread, massive protests erupted in Trehgam and adjoining areas which were going on.
Authorities have closed down the schools in Kupwara district as a precautionary measure.
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