SRINAGAR: In the subsequent clashes that broke out after the wee hour encounter at Naidgam, three civilians were rushed to the district hospital with serious injuries. They were immediately referred to SHMS hospital in Srinagar, reports from Shopian said.
There are two girls among the three civilians injured. The hospital authorities identified the three injured civilians as Minha Ahsan daughter of Mohammad Ahsan, Rafi Jan daughter of Ghulam Mohammad and Mohammad Yawar Bhat. “Two of them have bullet injuries in their toes and one has a serious abdomen injury,” one doctor told the Kashmir Life. “We have referred them to Srinagar.”
Minutes later, another young man was referred to the district hospital in Shopian with an injury in the head. He was injured in police action near the district police lines in Shopian.
The police have taken the bodies of the four slain militants to the District Police Lines in Shopian. There are hundreds of people from various villages who have approached the DPL to identify the slain militants. There are wild rumours about the four slain militants which have sent hoards of people from the villages to Shopian. Police said it will take some time to identify the slain four militants.
As a lot of people have reached Shopian, the situation has turned tense. At a few places, clashes between police and youth were also reported. It was in one such clash near DPL when a young man was injured. Hospital sources said he has various injuries in his head and the cause is a spray of pellets.
The encounter led to the killing of one army man, identified as Vikas. He was from 23-Para, a commando unit. Two army men are also injured and police said one of them has a critical injury.
However, a news gatherer GNS, reported that ten civilians including two women were injured during clashes in government forces action in parts of Shopian and Pulwama districts. Following the killing of four militants, the people mostly youth took to streets near the gunfight site at Nadigam and its adjoining areas. The police and paramilitary forces deployed in the area used tear smoke shells, pellets and some live ammunition to disperse the protesters resulting in injuries to eight people.
Among the injured, three including the two women received bullets and have been identified as Sahil Farooq, Meena daughter of Mohd Ahsan Shah, Rafia daughter of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat.
All the injured were taken to district hospital Shopian where from the bullet wounded trio were referred to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.
Similar reports of clashes were received from Muran Chowk and Rajpora areas of neighboring Pulwama district. Two persons were reported injured in the clashes so far.
