Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 19: Militants tonight killed a youth in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district at point blank range, police said here.
Police sources said that Suhail Ahmad Sofi son of Ghulam Nabi Sofi of village Doabgah, student, was organizing a cricket tournament sponsored by Army in the area.
Sources said that he was talking to someone at around 9:45 p.m. near a village Masjid when militants spotted him. “One seeing militants he ran away towards Masjid and was shot at from point blank range inside masjid complex”, sources added.
A police party was sent to the village to take stock of the situation. A party of Rashtriya Rifles of the Army was also rushed to the spot and operation has been launched against the militants responsible for his killing.
The militant strike comes after last week’s Fidayeen attack in Srinagar in which 5 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed and 10 others including 4 civilians were injured. Two Fidayeen were also gunned down in the attack.
This is the third militant strike in North Kashmir this month. On March 8, militants killed a former militant turned counter-insurgent, Bashir Ahmad Gania in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district.
And on March 2, two Indian Reserve Police (IRP) men were shot dead by two militants at point blank range in North Kashmir’s Handwara town. Both these IRP men were shot in the head.
Last month a National Conference worker and a Sarpanch was killed in Kreeri area of Baramulla district of North Kashmir by militants while in January this year a Sarpanch and a Congress worker was killed in Sopore area on Baramulla district in January this year.
Of late militants have stepped up their activities in North Kashmir.
Meanwhile, at least two dozen people were injured in sectarian clashes that broke out in the outskirts of Srinagar in Bemina area of Central Kashmir district of Budgam this evening.
Authorities have imposed curfew in the village to prevent the clashes from spreading to neighbouring villages. Police announced curfew on mega phones and asked people not to venture out of their homes, said a local.
Police sources said that clashes broke out in Hakarmulla village in the outskirts of Srinagar in district Budgam this evening on a piece of land. People of two rival sects claim the propriety of the land that led to the clashes.
Police and para-military CRPF were rushed to the spot after two houses of a particular sect were set ablaze by people of another sect and several people were injured in clashes.
People of both sects pelted stones on police and CRPF that has led to clashes in which over two dozen people including 2 police men were injured.
Authorities have imposed curfew in the area to prevent clashes from spreading to nearby villages. Tension also prevailed in the neighbouring villages of Bemina, Galwanpora and Soibugh after clashes in Hakarmulla village.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Budgam, Uttam Chand, however, said that there were minor clashes in the village and they have been brought under control.
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