Sporadic violence erupted in south Kashmir as the death toll in Sunday night’s exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists in Shopian rose to six with the recovery of two more bodies on Monday.

The situation in Shopian, Budgam and Anantnag districts was stated to be tense as mobs pelted stones at security forces.

Advertisement

Two bodies of terrorists and four other bodies have been recovered. Two weapons have also been recovered from the dead terrorists, said state’s director general of police SP Vaid.

An Army spokesman on Sunday night had said a terrorist and three `overground workers’ were killed as the Army retaliated when its `mobile vehicle check post’ (MVCP) was fired upon by the ultras at Pahnoo in Shopian.

Three of those killed have been identified by the villagers as Suhail Khaleel Wagay of Pinjoora, Mohammad Shahid Khan of Malikgund, Shahnawaz Ahmad Wagay of Trenz (all from Shopian).

Police said on Monday morning that bullet-ridden bodies of Ashiq Hussain Bhat, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant and a civilian Gowhar Ahmed Lone of Chitragam village were found in the area.

Bhat’s body was found in an orchard in Saidpura village, about six kilometres from the site of exchange of fire. Bhat was reported missing from his home since November 2017. Preliminary investigations suggest the deaths to be a part of the chain of incidents at Pahnoo.

The LeT terrorist killed in the speeding vehicle on Sunday night has been identified as Amir Ahmed Malik who had joined the outfit last year.

A police officer said an MVCP near Pahnoo had signaled a car to stop, but it did not. The Army men were fired upon and they retaliated.

A shutdown was observed in the Valley on Monday on a call given by the separatists, who accused the security forces of having killed civilians.

Separatist Yasin Malik was taken into custody when he tried to take out a procession.

Strict restrictions were enforced to prevent untoward incidents. SMS and internet services were suspended in the area and the rail service also did not operate.

Schools and other education institutes, which were to open on Monday after a two-month winter break, remained closed as a precautionary measure in the Valley.

Three terrorists reportedly appeared in the Shopian village during Bhat’s funeral and gave him a gun salute.

Expressing anguish over the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families.”

Ruling People’s Democratic Party MLA from Shopian, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, condemned the killing of “civilians” and demanded a judicial probe into it.