Four militants killed in Pulwama gunfight

Srinagar, Dec 29: Four militants were Saturday killed in a gunfight with the government forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district
At least, eleven civilians were injured in subsequent clashes.
A police spokesman said that a cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched jointly by the police and government forces in Hanjan Payeen area of Pulwama Saturday morning.
“As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight,” he said adding four militants were killed and their bodies were recovered from the site of the gunfight.
The slain militants were identified as Muzamil Ahmad Dar (district commander of JeM) son of Ghulam Nabi Dar resident of Rahmoo Pulwama, Waseem Akram Wani son of Mohammad Akram Wani resident of Tikken Batapora Pulwama, and Muzamil Nazir Bhat son of Nazir Ahmad Bhat resident of Prichoo Pulwama.
From the incriminating materials recovered at the site of the encounter, one militant is learnt to be a foreigner from Pakistan.
“All the militants were affiliated with JeM outfit and were wanted by the law for their complicity in a series of militant crimes including the attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesman advised people not to visit the site of the gunfight as there is an apprehension of some explosives being present there.
Meanwhile, clashes broke out near the gunfight site between protesters and the forces immediately after the gunfight began.
Reports said that eleven protesters were injured in clashes with the forces.
While ten of them were being treated at Public Health Centre Rajpora, one with head injury was referred to SMHS hospital in Srinagar for specialised treatment, reports added.
Later in the day, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of the slain militants, who were interred at their respective native villages.
The train service to and fro south Kashmir was suspended while authorities snapped internet services in Pulwama district which also observed the shutdown following the killing of militants.