Aakash Hassan
KL News Network
Islamabad
Firing has stopped at the encounter site in Awoora Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Islamabad. The encounter had started between militants and forces Sunday evening.
Srinagar based Army official, informed Kashmir Life that, firing on both sides has stopped while the cordon is lying intact.
There is no fire coming in from the opposite side so forces have also stopped the retaliatory fire, the spokesperson said.
Three militants are believed to be trapped in a single story house, that was cordoned off by joint forces from Army’s 3RR and SOG, Sunday evening.
As soon as forces laid seige around the house, gun shots were heard immediately, which later led to the gunfight.
As the news of encounter and militants being holed up spread around, huge number of locals from the Awoora and the surrounding villages gathered around the encounter site and clashed with forces engaging them in pitched battle. This was done in an attempt to break the cordon and help militants flee.
To quell the protests, Police later resorted to heavy teargas shelling to disperse the angry protesters.
The tensions further escalated in the entire belt as the news spread that the trapped militants are locals and hail from South Kashmir’s Bijbehara. However there is no official confirmation about the identity of militants and their residence.
Heaven firing was reported later and the scribes at the spot said that, both sides were firing indiscriminately for the long time.
When this report is being filed, complete lull was reported from this Pahalgam village, that is located in between the dense and green woods.
