Two civilians, 24-year old Shaista and 22-year old Danish were killed when an angry mob pelted stones at the security forces who had cordoned off a gunfight site in Lalhar area in Pulwama district where one militant was killed.
The protestors belonging to neighbouring villages comprising hundreds pelted stones at the cordoning troops of Rashtriya Rifles and police to reach the encounter site.
Troops of RR and police, according to a senior police officer had jointly surrounded Lalhar village near Kakpora this afternoon on specific information about presence of a group of militants there.
“The holed up militants opened fire at the security forces triggering an encounter in which one militant was killed,” the officer said.
He said 13 injured civilians with gunshot wounds and other injuries have been evacuated to hospital for treatment. Condition of one injured person is stated to be critical. Security forces fired warning shots and used tearsmoke and baton charges to disperse the protestors.
High tension has gripped Pulwama and senior civil and police officers have rushed to the spot.
The People's Democratic Party president, Mehbooba Mufti in a statement this evening strongly condemned ‘killing of two civilians in the firing of security forces in Pulwama area’.
Mehbooba termed this incident as ‘unfortunate and uncalled for’.
She lamented that ‘the unfortunate incident, which can be avoided, has claimed lives of two students including a female one and injuring nearly a dozen civilians’.
Separatists have called for a shutdown on Monday against the killings.
Image for representation only.
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