Pulwama encounter: Four militants killed, 16 civilians hurt in clashes near site

#OpBunHajan (#Pulwama). Four terrorists killed. Weapons and warlike stores recovered.#IndianArmy #Kashmir

— Chinar Corps – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) December 29, 2018

According to police, a cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched by security forces in Rajpora following inputs about the possible presence of militants in the area.

“Brief exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists at Hanjan,” Jammu and Kashmir Police had tweeted. “The area has been cordoned off,” it added.

Brief exchange of fire between Security forces & #terrorists at Hanjan #Pulwama. Area under cordon. Details will follow. @JmuKmrPolice

— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) December 29, 2018

The identity and the affiliations of the slain militants are being ascertained, police said in a statement after the encounter. Several weapons were also seized from the spot, it added.

Following the gun battle, clashes broke out at the encounter site in which 16 persons were injured. Health officials told The Indian Express that the injured were rushed to various health facilities in Pulwama. One of the civilians sustained a bullet injury on his right hand and was shifted to Srinagar, officials said.

On Friday, a LeT militant was killed in an encounter in Banderpora area of Pulwama. A J-K police official had said that the slain militant had joined the outfit around five months ago. He was later was identified as Ishfaq Yousuf Wani, a resident of Koil Pulwama in South Kashmir.

A large number of people participated in the funeral of the slain militant which was held at his native village Koil in Pulwama later in the day. Soon after the killing of Wani, clashes broke out in some parts of South Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claimed that the cordon and search operations (CASO) launched in the extreme cold weather should immediately stop. “At #JamaMasjid today. Grossly Inhuman on part of GOI that even in this severe cold as mercury has dipped to minus 8 degree celsius, children women and men forcibly brought out of their homes for conduct of Cordon and search operations (CASO)! This should be immediately stopped,” Umar had tweeted after addressing the Friday gathering at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar.