Conflict

Bijbehara gunfight: Six militants killed, say police; violent protests erupt near site

File Photo FOR REPRESENTATION.

Srinagar: Six militants were killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Shalgud village of Dashnipora in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday, police and army said.

An army spokesman in Srinagar said that six militants were killed in the gunfight.

“Six militants killed, weapons and warlike stores recovered. Operation in progress,” said the spokesman.

The identity of the militants has not been established yet.

“Bijbehara Encounter update: 06 militants eliminated in the encounter. Arms and Ammunition recovered. Identities are being ascertained,” police said on Twitter.

Reports said that a joint team of army’s 3RR and SOG Anantnag launched a cordon and search operation before dawn in Sekipora following inputs about the presence of militants.

As soon as the forces approached the suspected spot, militants opened fire, which triggered a gunfight.

Authorities have suspended mobile Internet services in Anantnag district as a “precautionary measure.”

The police released a statement regarding the gunfight.

“Based on a credible input about the presence of militants, a cordon and search operation was launched jointly by Police and security forces at the onset of dawn today inside a jungle area of Sekipora at Bijbehara in District Anantnag,” the statement said.

“As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight.

“In the process, six militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Their identities and affiliation are being ascertained,” the statement read.

The statement also mentioned that ‘incriminating materials including huge quantity of arms and ammunition’ were recovered from the gunfight site.

Police has registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter.  Pertinently no collateral damage took place in this incident.

“Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials,” the statement said. “People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosives materials if any.”

Meanwhile, violent protests erupted in Anantnag following the news of the killings.

Reports said that people took to streets in Shalgund-Kanelwan village of Dachnipora belt of Bibehara where the gunfight took place earlier today.

A local said that forces resorted to aerial firing on protesters in Khanabal locality of Anantnag town.

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