Massacre: Forces killed 7 Civilians, injured 100’s near gunfight site in Pulwama
Seven civilians were killed and three dozen others injured in trigger-happy force personnel’s firing on protestors near encounter site at Sirnoo village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday. Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants including an army deserter and an army man were killed in the gunfight.
A police official said
He said as the search parties approached a spot in village orchards between Sirnoo and
In the ensuing encounter, three Hizb militants including a top commander were killed.
The police official said two army men were also injured in the gunfight.
“One of them identified as Sepoy Kishan Singh of 55 RR later succumbed to injuries in the hospital,” he said.
The deceased militants were identified as Zahoor Ahmad Thoker, an army deserter who had deserted army in 2017 to join militancy, Adnan Ahmad alias Tahir of Karimabad village and Bilal Ahmad alias Hashim from Rajpora Pulwama.
Immediately after the encounter started at around 5.30 am, the youth took to roads and attempted to march towards the encounter site.
After being intercepted by the force personnel, the youth pelted stones on them.
The force personnel fired live ammunition including bullets, pellets and tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors.
At least 40 people sustained injuries in the forces firing and were referred to nearby District Hospital, Pulwama.
A doctor at District Hospital Pulwama told Kashmir Post that 32 injured were brought to the hospital.
He said six critically injured succumbed to injuries in the hospital while 13 others injured were referred to SMHS hospital in Srinagar for
“Another critically injured succumbed to injuries at SMHS hospital,” the doctor said.
Of the 12 injured admitted in SMHS hospital, three are having bullet injuries.
The deceased civilians were identified as Mohammad Amir Pala, 20
Abid Hussain Lone had done MBA from
Mohammad Amir Pala was a class 10th dropout and presently working as a salesman in Pollution Checking Centre,
Owais Yousuf Najar, was a 12th class student at Government Higher Secondary School, Pulwama. He was also working as a mechanic to support his poor family. His father is a carpenter by profession.
Suhail Rashid was 10th class student at Noorul-Islam High School Bellow. He was
Murtaza Bashir was a class 7th student.
Tawseef Ahmad Mir was a casual employee of
A police spokesperson said when the encounter was in progress, a crowd came dangerously close to the gunfight site from all sides and got injured in
He termed the killing of civilians as unfortunate and regretted the loss.
“The loss of civilians is deeply grieved,” the spokesman said and appealed people to stay away from encounter sites during encounters.
He said bodies of deceased militants were handed over to legal heirs after completion of medico-legal formalities.
After the killing of civilians, authorities suspended mobile internet services in south Kashmir and Srinagar.