First Sundays of April, May witness bloodbaths in Shopian

By Nisar Dharma

Srinagar, May 06: The last month of so has been a literal bloodshed in Kashmir as the region witnessed as many as 60 people getting killed in around a dozen encounters and shootouts that predominantly took place in south of Kashmir.
Like Sunday April 1 – when 20 people including 13 militants, four civilians and three forces personnel were killed in Shopian – the first Sunday of May saw a repeat of the same, as the day ended with 10 deaths including five militants and five civilians.
On Sunday Hizb militant Saddam Padder, along with four of his associates, including a day-old KU-Assistant Professor-turned-militant, were killed in an encounter in Badigam village of Shopian district.
At least five civilians were also killed in clashes at several places in South Kashmir while dozens of others were injured.
An eyewitness in Pulwama said the situation across South was very volatile as people were moving in hoards to attend the militants’ funerals in Shopian and other places.
Since April 1, 24 civilians, 28 militants and eight troopers were killed in as many a dozen odd incidents of encounters and shootouts.