Conflict

Kupwara gunfight: Three militants reportedly trapped

Representational Image.

Srinagar: Three militants are believed to have been trapped in a gunfight at Handwara in frontier district of north Kashmir, officials said Thursday.

Giving details emerging from the site, which is taking place at Shatgund in Handwara, police and other forces cordoned off a village following intelligence inputs about presence of the militants, they said.

There was a lull in firing at around 9 AM, prompting the police to initiate search operation at the site, but the same had to be suspended after firing resumed after 15 minutes, the officials said.

Reports said that scholar-turned-militant, Manan Wani, who was enrolled as a PhD scholar with the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and joined militant ranks in January this year, was also trapped in the gunfight.

Meanwhile, authorities have closed educational institutions in Kupwara district and suspended class work in educational institutions in parts of the Valley.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out near the gunfight area between protesters and armed forces. Reports said that protesters took to streets soon after the news of gunfight spread and pelted the forces deployed in the area with stones.

The forces responded by firing tear gas shells.

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