According to police, four persons including two women were killed by soldiers in retaliatory action after an army picket was attacked in Varmul district. "During the preceding night terrorists fired towards the army picket at Babapora in Bandipora. In the retaliatory action four civilians including two ladies got killed," said a police spokesman. The spokesman identified the deceased as Muhammad Shafi, his wife Maryam, sister Jabina and their guest Manzoor Ahmed.
However, later in the evening the zonal police headquarters issued another statement which contradicted its earlier version. "A group of 3 to 4 terrorists entered into the house of a surrendered militant Muhammad Shafi alias Gooru having previous affiliation with TJI. They entered into the house through windows and lobbed a grenade besides damaging household goods and then sprayed bullets resulting in killing of four incumbents of the house namely Muhammad Shafi, his wife Maryam, sister Jabina and a guest Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh s/o Ghulam Muhammad of Sumler." Police said Shafi had joined the counter-insurgent Ikhwan group after surrendering and was instrumental in several successful operations against militants in the area.
But in the evening, a Kilo Force spokesman said militants were responsible for the killing and denied that Shafi had ever joined the pro-government Ikhwan. "He had only surrendered before the army," the spokesman told Greater Kashmir.
From all that, we can probably conclude that they're dead. Maybe. And that it might have been them.
In an encounter with troops at Lolab, Kupwara today, a militant whose identity was not available died.
Police recovered body of an alleged informer Abdul Rashid ("Jimmy the Weasel")Ganai of Ichkote, Budgam today.
A jawan was killed when militants opened fire on a security patrol in Doonimar forest in Islamabad district early today.
Police said two Lashker-e-Toiba militants, Umer Bhai and Fahad Bhai, both residents of Pakistan, were killed in an encounter with army during search operations at Mohanpora in Islamabad late last night. A jawan and a counter-insurgent were also injured in the encounter, police said. Two AK rifles, three magazines and five grenades were claimed recovered from the encounter site.
BSF claimed arrest of a top Hizbul militant, Bashir Ahmad Mir, from Sopur bus stand last evening. "The operation was carried out following information that militants were planning to kill members of a road opening party or any prominent citizen of Sopur," a BSF spokesman said adding "Mir’s interrogation led to the busting of two hideouts around Sopur town resulting in recovery of 35 hand grenades, 12 Kgs of RDX, five remote receivers for planting of IEDs, 33 nine-volt batteries and 18 detonators." |