Shopian, Nov 20: Four militants and a Para Commando were killed in a fierce encounter in Nadigam village of Shopian district while three soldiers were also injured during the exchange of fire.
A police spokesperson said that government forces on a credible input about the presence of militants in Nadigam area of District Shopian, launched a cordon and search operation in the predawn hours on Tuesday.
“As the search operation was going on, the search party was confronted with bullets fired by the hiding militants. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire one army jawan identified as HC Vijay of 23 Para sustained injuries and was evacuated to the hospital for medical treatment where he succumbed.”
In the ensuing encounter, four militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. The killed militants were identified as Abid Nazir Chopan of Padarpora, Basharat Nengroo of Chotigam Shopian, Mehraj-ud-Din Najar of Drawni and Malik Zada Inam-ul-Haq of Mantujan Shopian.
The police official said that all the slain militants were affiliated with Hizbul Mujihideen outfit and were involved in “attacks on security establishments and many other civilian atrocities in the area”. Incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter.
The killings triggered clashes in Shopian and Pulwama towns.
Reports said that youth took to streets in Pulwama and Shopian after news of death of four militants spread in the area.
They said that the youth hurled stones at the forces which responded by firing tear gas shells.
Reports said that three civilians, including three girls, were injured after forces fired live ammunition and pellets at the protesters near the gunfight site. The injured, according to local sources, were rushed to a Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.
Tens of thousands of mourners participated in the last rites of the slain militants at their respective places amid shutdown and pro-freedom protests. A large number of women were seen wailing near the encounter site.
