PULWAMA: Forces on Monday night called off their operation against hiding militants when people in large number hit to roads and resorted to stone-pelting in Newa area of South Kashmirs Pulwama district.
Sources told news agency CNS that after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in Lonepora Newa area, 55 Rashtriya Rifles, SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police and 183 Battalion CRPF cordoned off the area at around 10 pm on Monday. Police sources said there were inputs about the presence of some top Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in the area.
Eyewitnesses said that as the search operation was going on, locals in large number hit to roads and resorted to massive stone-pelting. They hampered the operation while some of the youth used public address system asking people to come out from the houses. Witnesses added that in order to disperse the agitated people, forces used tear-smoke shells, however, people still showed stiff resistance.
Witnesses added that people from adjacent areas including Karimabad, Wahibugh also hit to roads and played patriotic numbers on the loud speakers. Confirming the incident, an official said that the operation was concluded at 11:30 pm. Some miscreants pelted stones on the search party and tried to hamper the operation, he said.
Police Speaks
J&K police on Tuesday evening issued a statement in response to news that stone pelting took place while men in uniform launched a search operation in Newa Pulwama.
The statement is being reproduced here verbatim for larger public interest:
Some news agencies have posted a fake news that there was stone pelting in Newa area of Pulwama añd an encounter had also broken.
In this regard it is clarified that a Cordon was placed and search of suspected area was completed peacefully.
The miscreants posting such news and spreading false information to foment trouble are being identified and action shall be taken against them as per law.
All law abiding and respectable citizens are requested not pay heed to such mischief.
Tral, Awantipora Shut
Complete shutdown was observed in Tral and Awantipora areas of south Kashmir for second consecutive day to mourn the death of militants killed in recent encounter.
According to GNS, shops and commercial establishments remained close in Tral, Awantipora and adjoining villages to protest killings of two Hizbul Mujahideen militants with forces.
In a gun battle at Hufu, Aqib along with his Pakistani associate identified as Hamas were killed with police and army on Sunday. One SOG man was killed while several other forces men including a Major were injured in the gunfight. One house was completely damaged in the fire fight as forces used IEDs to blast it.
Reports meanwhile said clashes erupted at Mahmoodpora village of Kulgam district in south Kashmir after forces launched an anti militancy operation. Several youths including some women were reported injured in the clashes.
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