One militant was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir on Tuesday. In a separate incident, security forces opened fire on stone-throwing protesters, demonstrating against the death of a student in an accident involving a police's vehicle in Srinagar.
Three civilians were injured when around 150 protesters pelted stones on security personnel, immediately after a police vehicle hit a car that left a Class 10 student dead and two others injured at Nowgam area.
According to the hospital sources, two protesters sustained firearm injuries during the clashes. It's first in the past four months that the security forces opened fire to disperse protesters.
A police spokesman said the road traffic accident left Tehseen Nazir of Nowgam dead. "The police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of law in this regard. The driver of the police vehicle has been arrested," said the spokesman. "Further investigation in the matter is in progress," he added.
In south Kashmir's Pulwama, the police said it surrounded a local militant in Awantipora and offered him to surrender. However, he was killed in a cross-fire.
"The community members, including the family members of Shahid Ahmad Gadhanji, made efforts requesting him to surrender. However, he fired indiscriminately, leading to exchange of fire in which he was killed," said the police.
Gadhanji, a resident of Eidgah Mohalla Arwani in Bijbehara, was affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen. "Incriminating material including arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of encounter," said the police.
He had joined the militant ranks very recently, sources said.
