Soon after Eid prayers ended in Bandipora, a group of protesters started hurling stones at security forces who retaliated by firing tear smoke shells and pellet guns, a police official said. He said 20-year-old Murtaza Ahmed was hit by a tear smoke shell resulting in his death. Several others were injured in the security forces’ action in Bandipora town.
Clashes were also reported from South Kashmir after a youth, Shahid Ahmed, was killed during fresh protests at Bonpora in Shopian district, another police official said. With these deaths, the toll in the ongoing agitation in Kashmir has risen to 78.
Meanwhile, Army commandos stormed the mini-secretariat building in Poonch and killed a militant on Tuesday, bringing an end to the three-day encounter in the border town of militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir.
The commandos of elite 9 Para also recovered two bodies, which were spotted by drones on Monday, from the three-storied, under-construction building.
With the recovery of three bodies in Tuesday’s operation, the number of militants killed has reached four. Rajinder Kumar, a policeman, died on Sunday and seven people, including a Para commando, three policemen, two soldiers and a civilian, were injured in the operation. The encounter, which began in Poonch town on Sunday morning, has been the longest-ever in the border township.
The last such attack was in 2003, when deputy superintendent of police Manjit Singh was killed by militants.