Civilian killed in anti-terror operations in Jammu-Kashmir

A government employee was killed during an overnight counter-insurgency operation in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, but the militants managed to give security forces the slip, officials said on Saturday.

The security forces including army launched a counter-insurgency operation in Chancer area of Kulgam district on Friday night, following information about presence of ultras in the area, police officials said.

The officials said an employee of the Fisheries Department, Assadullah Kumar, was killed in the firing that broke out minutes after the security forces had cordoned off
the area.

An army official said the operation was called off on Saturday morning after the security forces did not find any militant.

The militants might have escaped taking advantage of darkness, the official said.

However, the official was tight-lipped about the death of the civilian.

Meanwhile, local residents staged a protest against the killing of Kumar and blocked Srinagar-Jammu National Highway at Vessu.