In the biggest anti-militancy operations in south Kashmir in past decade, 19 people including 12 militants, four civilians and three army personnel were killed and over 100 civilians were injured in three separate encounters and subsequent protests on Sunday.The Army claimed that Sunday was a ‘Special Day’ as they avenged the killing of Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz Parry, whose bullet ridden body was found in Herman Shopian in May last year. Two militants killed in an encounter in Dragad Shopian---Ishfaq Ahmad Malik and Rayees Thokar, army said were involved in killing of Fayaz.J&K police chief S P Vaid confirmed that 11 militants were killed in three encounters—seven in Dragad and three in Kachidoor villages of Shopian and one in Dialgam of Anantnag. Three army personnel were killed in Kachidoor encounter spot. J&K police officials claim that locals in Kachidoor took away body of one militant, and two others who were injured severely, from the debris of the house. In Dialgam of Anantnag district, one militant Rouf Khanday was killed, while as another was caught alive from encounter spot.This is one of the biggest anti-militancy operations in a single day, since 2010-11, when militancy started regaining foothold in Kashmir Valley. The killings are a major blow for militants in south Kashmir, considered to be their stronghold and may put a stop on militant attacks for some time.In wake of the killings of civilians and killings, Hurriyat leaders, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik, called for a strike on April 2. The government has also ordered closure of all schools, colleges and examinations of Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology and Central University have been postponed.“This is the special day for all armed forces. We have avenged the killing of Lt Ummar Fayaz. We appeal youth of Kashmir not to get swayed by Pakistan and its proxies here. Kinetic operations against militants will continue,” GOC 15 Corps, A K Bhatt told reporters in Victor Force base in Awantipora.During the encounters, civilian protests spread in several parts of south Kashmir and Srinagar city, with over 100 protestors injured, some of them, receiving bullet and pellet injuries.“The frequency of protests during encounters has increased. We ask locals not to come out and protest near encounter sites. It will not stop us from conducting operations and encounters,” said Inspector General (operations) of CRPF, Zulfikar Hassan.After killing of Burhan Wani in 2016 militancy gathered steam and became deadlier, when Jaish-e-Muhammad came to the center stage in 2017. The government launched Operation All Out to wipe out the militancy and killed more than 213 militants in 2017. Even as the infiltration continued, around 124 locals joined militant ranks in 2017 and 27 boys joined the militant ranks in first three months of 2018.