One terrorist killed in Pulwama encounter

At least one terrorist was killed during an encounter with security forces in Kakapora area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday after they launched an operation to track down hiding terrorists. The operation is still underway. 

The police, in the meantime, have cordoned off the area. Security forces on Saturday evening launched an anti-militancy operation after receiving a tip-off about their presence at Begumbagh village in Kakapora area, 25 km from here, a police official said. He said the terrorist who was hiding opened fire on noticing the security forces who retaliated, triggering a gun battle. The encounter was going on when last reports were received, the official said, adding further details are awaited.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani army targeted Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district with mortars and small arms fire. A defence spokesman said: “Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in the Nowshera sector from 1030 hours using 120 mm mortars and small arms fire. Our army is giving a befitting response to the Pakistani fire.”

A woman was injured and two houses damaged when Pakistani troops on Saturday targeted Indian posts and civilian areas. The firing in Sunderbani sector is the second ceasefire violation by the Pakistani side in less than six hours on Saturday. “A woman identified as Shanti Devi (55) was injured and two houses were damaged in the heavy mortar shelling by the Pakistan army in Khamba village in the Nowshera sector,” a police officer said. He said the injured lady has been shifted to the Sub District Hospital Nowshera for treatment.

Meanwhile, Srinagar along with rest of Kashmir was buzzing with activity on Saturday with offices, shops and other business establishments opening in the Valley which saw the return of normalcy after 133 days of shutdown as separatists suspended their stir for the weekend. The situation has been by and large peaceful over the past few weeks in the Valley, which had been hit by clashes between violent protesters and security forces following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8. The unrest had over 80 people dead and many others, including 5,000 security personnel, injured.

Shops, offices, business establishments and fuel stations opened this morning for a full day for the first time since the unrest began. While some had started opening earlier defying the separatists, others did business few hours on some days of the week whenever relaxation in the strike was announced.

There was massive traffic on the roads in Srinagar, the summer capital, as public transport resumed fully and people came out to carry out their day to day activities on Saturday. The authorities had increased the presence of traffic personnel on the roads to manage the traffic.