The death toll in the militant attack on forces in Qazigund climbed to 5 after a civilian who was injured in a shootout between militants and police in South Kashmir’s Mirbazar area succumbed on Sunday.
SSP Kulgam Shridhar Patil confirmed the killing of five persons in the shootout including 3 civilians, cop and a militant. A brief shootout took place between militants and policemen at Mirbazar in Anantnag district last evening along the Srinagar-Jammu highway and at least t five persons, including three civilians, were killed when militants struck at main market Saturday.
Police sources said militants opened fire on a police party which had got down from their vehicle to clear a traffic jam at towns Mir Bazar. In the shoot out three civilians, one policemen and one militant were killed, they said. Half dozen others, including several policemen, were reportedly injured.
Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said that a police party at Malpora on Qazigund-Kulgam road was clearing the traffic when the militant group comprising three members opened indiscriminate fire upon them. The police party retaliated resulting into the killing of a militant, DGP said. In the attack four civilians and four cops sustained serious bullet wounds, DGP said.
All the injured were immediately evacuated to the nearby hospital where a cop (follower) and three civilians succumbed to injuries, DGP said, adding that three injured policemen have been referred to army’s 92 base hospital in Srinagar.A civilian injured in the attacj was referred to SMHS hospital.
The police have identified the slain cop as Mehmood Ahmad (follower), Niyaz Ahmad Mir of Janglatmandi Anantnag. As per police officials, a hand grenade and live ammunition was recovered from the pocket of slain militant while he was taken to district hospital Islamabad. He was killed when he attempted to snatch a AK-47 rifle from a cop after attack.
Fayaz was one of the main accused in August 5, 2015 attack on a BSF convoy in Udhampur. The attack resulted in the death of two BSF personnel while 13 others were injured. The case was subsequently transferred to NIA for investigation.
Soon after the attack, police claimed to have arrested a Pakistani national and member of LeT, later identified as Mohammad Naveed alias Usman. Police officials said Fayaz was since then absconding.
As per the eyewitnesses, thousands of people gathered at the funeral of the slain militant. People offered funeral prayers in the Qaimoh village amidst anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, eyewitnesses said.
Fayaz, as per one of his relatives, had joined militancy couple of weeks ago and his photographs had appeared on internet. Locals say that, earlier he was a truck driver. As per police sources, he was accused in ferrying militants to Udhampur in truck. Fayaz who was in his early thirties, as per his relatives, was father of one-year-old male child. He was wanted in an NIA case and carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh.