Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 8: A man was killed and a soldier injured in a fierce gun battle in South Kashmir’s Arwani area between militants and security forces and it is not yet clear whether Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) divisional commander, Abu Dujana, is still trapped inside the village or has slipped out of the cordon.
A civilian Arif Ahmad Shah son of Mohammad Khalil Shah resident of Gund Baba, Sangam area of Anantnag was killed near encounter site at Hussanpora. He was hit by a bullet during the gun battle.
A police spokesman said here: “As has been reported earlier an encounter is going on at Hussanpora Tabela, Arwani in jurisdiction of police station Bijbehara, Anantnag between militants and joint operation team of police and security forces. At some distance from the encounter site, a stray bullet hit a person identified as Arif Ahmad Shah S/o Mohammad Khalil Shah R/o Gund Baba, Sangam. The said person later succumbed to his injuries. Police has appealed to the people not to assemble or come close to the encounter sites as there is every chance that stray bullets may hit them and they may get injured”.
A soldier was injured this evening during the gun battle as he received multiple bullet injuries and has been shifted to Army’s 92-Base hospital at Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar for treatment.
Police, 1-Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army and 90 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched an operation in Hussanpora Khudwani village of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district yesterday after they received information about presence of 3-4 militants of LeT including divisional commander, Abu Dujana.
The gun battle that started last evening is on and sources said that security forces have seen two bodies of militants lying in the rubble of the house while gun battle continued. However, body of these two militants has not been recovered so far.
A United Jehad Council statement, however, said that three militants – Abdul Majeed Zargar, Mohammad Waseem and Raheel Amin -were killed in the encounter.
It is not yet clear whether Abu Dujana has slipped out of the cordon or is still trapped inside. However, sources said that his cell phone is switched off since yesterday.
In view of the apprehensions of the outbreak of protests as reports about Abu Dujana’s presence inside the cordoned area was making rounds, authorities this morning directed telecom operators to shutdown mobile and internet services in parts of Anantnag and Kulgam districts. However, BSNL cell phones were working and other networks in these areas were down.
The locals pelted stones on security forces involved in counter-insurgency operation at Hussanpora last evening and today morning. The clashes also erupted at Khudwani, Arwani, Bijbehara, Anantnag, Newa and Sangam areas.
Dozens of civilians sustained injuries in these clashes as police used teargas and pellets against them.
The operation has been put on hold during the night and security forces have tightened the cordon to prevent the militants from fleeing.
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