Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar, Mar 1 : Jammu Kashmir witnessed 17 casualties in militancy related incidents in the first two months of the current year.
Apart from these 17 killings, a civilian who was shot at by militants in December last year succumbed to his injuries. The youth Nadif Hanief Khan of Bilal colony Soura who was critically injured when gunmen fired at him in Soura area of Srinagar city in the first week of December last year succumbed to his injuries.
The data available with news agency Kashmir News Trust reveals that there was only one civilian killing in the first 2 months of this year. The civilian killed by militants was Akash Mehra, running an eatery shop on Dalgate-Sonwar road of Srinagar city. Police arrested 3 persons in this regard.
Before the ceasefire agreement later in February, at least 4 army soldiers were killed in Pakistan shelling in Nowshera Sector and Sunderbani Rajouri, Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch. These 4 soldiers who were killed in cross border firing were Sepoy Ravindra, Hawaldar Nirmal Singh, Nishant Sharma and Sepoy Laxman.
A soldier Deepak Kumar from Haryana affiliated with 24 Rashtriya Rifles was killed in an IED blast in Subhanpora, Shamsipora area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Three soldiers were injured in the blast.
In January and February this year, 8 militants were killed in 3 different gunfights with Joint forces. Three local Hizb militants Waris Hassan of Naibugh Tral, Arif Bashir of Monghama, Tral and Syed Asif-ul-Haq, a resident of Noorpora Tral were killed in a brief encounter at Mandora Tral. Three militants Suhail Sheikh alias Azeem son of Abdul Ghani Sheikh resident of Turkwangam, Shahid Ahmad Dar alias Furkan son of Bashir Ahmad Dar resident of Samboora Awantipora and Muddasir Ahmad Wagay son of Fayaz Ahmad Wagay resident of Chak Sangren, affiliated with proscribed militant outfit Al-Badr were killed in a gun fight at Badigam Shopian.
Two militants Junaid Ahmed of Shopian and an unidentified one were killed in Shalgul Srigufwara forest area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Besides, two militants during Lelhar Kakapora area of Pulwama gunfight surrendered before Joint Forces.
Three policemen were also killed in twin militancy related incidents.
A policeman Altaf Najar of Kherigund Chadura was killed in Peth Zanigam village of Budgam in a brief exchange of fire.
Two policemen Muhammad Yousuf Bajad son of Sai Muhammad, a resident of Zurhama Kupwara and Constable Suhail Ahmad Lohar son of Mushtaq Ahmed Lohar of Logripora Ashmuqam Anantnag were killed in Barzulla hit and run attack.
Last year 25 militants, 4 soldiers, a cop, a trooper, 2 army porters and 3 civilians were killed in the first two months of the year. (KNT)
