By: Shahnawaz Bhat
Srinagar: Reports from Kulgam district and adjacent areas said that there was a complete mourning strike on Monday against the killing of three militants, while as police spokesman said they have identified the militants who were killed on Sunday in a gunfight in the Turigam village of Kulgam.
Reports said that there was a complete shutdown with traffic off the roads in Kulgam district while as security forces and police have been deployed in strength to avoid any protest and violence.
Police has identified the slain militants as Rafiq Ahmad Sheikh of Shiganpora Kulgam and two others as Pakistani militants with identification of Waleed and Numa. Police said that these two Pakistani miltants in their records were top commanders of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) who were active in South Kashmir.
Police spokesman on Monday has appealed people once again not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. Police spokesman said, “people are requested to cooperate till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any”.
It is in place to mention that soon after the Turigam encounter on Sunday evening, large number of people including women came out of their houses and started protests resulting in stone pelting from public and teargas shelling and pellets from the forces. In these clashes two civilians received bullet while as five youth have been referred to the hospitals with pellet injuries.