SRINAGAR: In one of the biggest anti-terror operations in recent years in the state, at least 20 people — three Army personnel, four civilians and 13 terrorists — were killed and more than 50 others were injured in South Kashmir ’s Shopian and Anantnag districts on Sunday.

As soon as reports of the pre-dawn crackdown by a joint team of the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force spread, clashes erupted between security forces and civilians, who came out of their houses and tried to shield the terrorists, according to police. In retaliatory firing by security forces, four civilians were killed and over 50 others were wounded. Some of them received pellet injuries and were admitted to hospital in Shopian, the police said.

The encounters took place in three different areas — Draggad, Kachdoora and Dialgam — in the two districts, in which a total of 13 terrorists was killed, said J&K DGP SP Vaid. Seven terrorists were killed at Draggad and five at Kachdoora in Shopian, while one was killed at Dialgam in Anantnag, Vaid said, adding that a terrorist surrendered when his parents appealed him at the encounter site.

In a major success, security forces eliminated two terrorists, identified as Ahmad Malik and Rayees Thokar, who abducted and killed Lt Ummer Fayaz in May 2017 when the Army officer had gone to his hometown in Shopian to attend a wedding, Vaid said.

Vaid said an SSP made special efforts to persuade the terrorists to surrender at Dialgam by calling their family members to ask them to surrender. “Instead of surrendering, one of the holed up terrorists opened fire, prompting security forces to open fire and kill him,” Vaid said.

IG SP Pani said internet services were suspended in four south Kashmir districts. “Train services were cancelled as clashes erupted between miscreants and the police at various places in Srinagar. Dozens of vehicles were damaged at Rambagh and other areas of the city. Authorities ordered the closure of all colleges and schools in the Valley on Monday,” Pani added.

At a joint press conference at Awantipora in Pulwama district, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, Commander of the Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said: “Today is a very special day for security forces. Sunday was the biggest anti-militancy operation in the Kashmir Valley in a long time.” Lt Gen AK Bhatt, however, regretted the death of three Army personnel in the encounter at Kachdoora in Shopian.

At the press meet, IG CRPF Zulfikar Ahmad said that security forces had to throw teargas shells and open fire at a rampaging mob in Shopian, resulting in the death of four civilians.

Thousands of people attended the funeral of a terrorist, identified by cop as Rouf Ahmed Khanday, from Dehruna village of South Kashmir ’s Islamabad district. They raised “anti-government” and “pro-Pakistan” slogans. A complete shutdown was observed in Islamabad district.

Hurriyat members called for a two-day bandh in protest against the killings of the terrorists and the civilians. Separatists, under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership, called for the strike. JRL, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, asked people to suspend business and other activities.

Ceasefire violation

Pakistan violated ceasefire on Sunday by targeting forward locations and civilians areas along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu. “Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked heavy shelling and firing at Indian positions at Khari Karmara area of Poonch,” police said, adding that there was no report of any casualty.



In Video: 3 jawans martyred, 13 terrorists killed in J&K encounters