Civilian, militant killed in Shopian gunfight

A civilian and a militant were killed during a gunfight at Khudpora area of Shopian in south Kashmir on Saturday night.

According to police, two militants managed to escape from the gunfight site.

Locals and official sources said that while body of a militant was recovered on Saturday, the corpse of the civilian identified as Shahid Manzoor Mir was recovered on Sunday morning.

Locals also censured police authorities for claiming the civilian to be militant and abjuring duty of protecting common man from any harm as part of SOP.

Earlier, the encounter ensued last night after a joint team of army and SOG launched a cordon-and-search operation at Khudpora village.

During the course of gunfight one militant identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat son of Ali Mohammad of Bandzoo Pulwama at present Nanihaal Gund Haadu, Memendar Shopian is claimed to have been killed by the government forces and have also claimed recovery of an AK-47 rifle.

Police Version

Police and state forces in Khudpora area of District  Shopian, launched a cordon and search operation yesterday evening based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

As the search operation was going on, hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter.

Meanwhile following  the SOP, civilians from the nearby area were evacuated to safer places.

In the ensuing encounter, hiding militants fired on security forces. Consequently post encounter during the search two dead bodies were recovered from the site of encounter. The killed militant has been identified as Mohd Irfan Bhat of Pulwama who was associated with HM outfit since June 2017.

The  other one  was identified as Shahid Mir  who as per the police records  was  part of case FIR 201/2004 under section 7/25 Arms Act of police station Shopian for militancy related incident.

A couple of militants managed to escape from the site as blood trails have been seen at the site.

Moreover, the house where  the encounter took place is intact albiet a hideout was found inside the house where militants were hiding.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.

Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the instant matter for ascertaining the facts pertaining to militants hiding in the said house and other related matters to this incident.

Family, locals reject police claim, maintain Shahid was civilian

Srinagar, Nov 4 : Locals on Sunday rejected police claims regarding civilian Shahid Manzoor Mir, one of the two persons killed during an encounter in Khudpora, Gagran area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The other slain has been identified as Irfan Ahmad Bhat son of Ali Mohammad of Bandzoo Pulwama at present Gund Haadu, Memendar, Shopian.

In a statement, police have not convincingly stated whether Shahid is a civilian or a militant or an OGW even as it has alluded his involvement in a militant-related case registered way back in 2014.

Nothing is forthcoming from the statement as regards the fate of the FIR registered 14-years back as it is silent whether it culminated into charge sheet against Shahid or any other person who might have been involved in the case.

The statement is also silent whether the case has been closed as untraced or there has been acquittals or conviction of any person.

The police statement is baseless as Shahid was civilian and police are deliberately trying to implicate him in a non-existent case. Where was the police in last 14-years and why is it that when the civilian was killed that reference has been made to the case which according to police registered 14-years ago,” the family and the locals told GNS and rejected the police reference.

The family said that he was working as a contractor dealing with shattering of houses and other buildings. The slain civilian is survived by a wife and one-year-old child besides aged parents.

Meanwhile, both the slain were laid to rest amid pro-freedom slogans and thousands of people attended their funeral at their respective native villages.

In a statement issued here, the police spokesman said:  “Police and security forces in Khudpora area of District  Shopian, launched a cordon and search operation yesterday evening based on credible inputs about the presence of militants in the area”.

As the search operation was going on, hiding militants fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter, he said.

“Meanwhile following the SOP, civilians from the nearby area were evacuated to safer places. In the ensuing encounter, hiding militants fired on security forces. Consequently, post-encounter during the search two bodies were recovered from the site of the encounter,” the spokesman said.

The killed militant has been identified as Mohd Irfan Bhat of Pulwama who was associated with HM terror outfit since June 2017. The other one was identified as Shahid Mir who as per the police records was part of case FIR 201/2004 under section 7/25 Arms Act of police station Shopian for the militant-related incident, he said.

A couple of militants managed to escape from the site as blood trails have been seen at the site, he said.

Moreover, the house where the encounter took place is intact albeit a hideout was found inside the house where militants were hiding, he said.

“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police have registered a case and initiated investigation in the instant matter for ascertaining the facts pertaining to militants hiding in the said house and other related matters to this incident,” he said.

Citizens are once again requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any, the spokesman added. (GNS)