Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: At least 12 Police men and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured in heavy stone pelting and police had to fire 300 tear smoke shells after gun battle ended in Chursu village in Awantipora area of South Kashmir in which one militant of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed while the commander of the outfit slipped out of cordon.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar’s vehicle was also damaged after a group of women who had blocked the road against the killing of Hizb militant pelted stones.
The DIG said that one militant, Showkat Ahmad Qasba, was killed in an encounter that broke out last night at Chursu village after Army, CRPF and Police cordoned off the village following an input that HM commander Riyaz Ganai and his associate were hiding in the village.
The police officer said that initial firing lasted for about 25 minutes last night. He said that Ganai might have fled during initial gun battle. He said that only one militant was firing since initial gun battle and security forces presumed one militant died in initial firing.
Kumar said that Qasba was killed in the morning and one Insas Rifle and his body was recovered from the debris of the house in which the militants were hiding. He said that Qasba, resident of Awantipora, had joined militancy only 3 months ago. “The Insas rifle which he had taken away from a security guard of Shrine at Awantipora three months ago was recovered from the debris”, he added.
DIG said that as the Police and CRPF men were clearing the debris of the house, several groups of youth pelted stones at them and the clearance operation was left halfway. He said that police and CRPF had to fire at least 300 tear smoke shells to disperse several groups of stone pelters. “7 CRPF men and 5 police men were injured in the stone pelting. We maintained utmost restraint”, he added.
Kumar said that stone pelters also blocked traffic on the highway at the native place of Qasba, in Awantipora. The stone pelting led to long traffic jams on the highway that lasted for several hours. “However, traffic on the highway was resumed at 6:30 p.m.”, he added.
DIG said that police will search the debris of the house tomorrow. “If Hizb commander has not fled, then he might have died in the initial firing. We will clear the doubts tomorrow”, he added.
In the meantime, a police spokesman said that one militant of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant organization was killed in an encounter with Police and Security forces that started last evening at Batpora Chursu, Awantipora.
“Acting on a specific information regarding the presence of militants at Batpora Chursu, police along with 50 and 42 RR of Army and CRPF launched a search operation in the area last evening. The militants opened fire on the search party triggering an encounter”, the spokesman said.
“The cordon was strengthened and the area was sealed during the night. This morning the encounter resumed in which one militant was killed. The slain militant was later identified as Showkat Ahmad Qasba of HM outfit. An Insas rifle has been recovered from the encounter site”, the spokesman said.
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