9 militants killed as infiltration bid foiled

Giving details of the foiled attempt, defence spokesman Lt Col J S Brar said: “On Sunday evening, the troops deployed on the Line of Control in Uri sector observed a group of six heavily armed militants trying to cross over from the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in to the Valley.”

On being challenged, a gun fight ensued which continued through out the night and on till Monday. “Six militants have been gunned down so far,” the spokesman said.

He stated that the operation was conducted in a high altitude and thickly forested area. “It is a clinical operation with no damage to the troops till now,” Lt Col Brar added. The defence spokesman revealed that the operation was in progress till the reports last came in.

Irshad Ahmad,11, was killed in police firing on protestors at Anantnag in South Kashmir on Monday evening. The local people said the firing was unprovoked as the protest was peaceful but a police spokesman claimed that the violent protestors attacked police and security forces.

Fifteen persons were also injured in the firing and tear gas shelling at Pulwama.

Meanwhile, five persons were injured when police opened fire in the Maisuma area of Srinagar. The injured includes 18-year-old Ashfaq Ahmad, nephew of senior separatist leader and chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Mohammad Yasin Malik.
The local people claim the firing was unprovoked. “The policemen were beating some persons and some youths objected to it. The cops opened fire injuring five persons,” said Abdul Majid, a resident of Maisuma.

However, the police state that pellet gun was used in the firing. A police spokesman claimed that people violated the orders of restriction at Maisuma and resorted to stone throwing on police and the CRPF.

As tension prevailed in the Valley, curfew remained in force in some parts of Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir to thwart the separatist-sponsored protests and strikes.