Anantnag: Shortly after the killing of a truck driver in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district on Monday night, an unidentified militant was killed in a brief shootout with government forces, less than 200 meters from where the truck driver was shot dead, police said.
A senior police official from Anantnag told Kashmir Reader that efforts to ascertain the identity of the militant were afoot.
“We have called several families of militants, but so far none has claimed him to be their own,” he said.
The incident took place in Kanelwan area of Bijbehara, where the truck driver was loading apple boxes in his vehicle.
“He (driver) was shot dead by the militants,” a police official from Bibehara confirmed to Kashmir Reader, minutes after firing was heard in Kanelwan area.
The slain driver was identified as Narayan Dutt of Katra by the police official.
On Tuesday morning, the police claimed that a militant was killed in a brief exchange of fire less than 200 meters from where Dutt was shot dead.
SSP Anantnag, Altaf Khan, told Kashmir Reader that two police parties were deployed in the vicinity of where Dutt was shot dead.
“The response of one of the police parties was good. They intercepted the militant and he was killed in a gunfight,” Khan said.
Local sources told Kashmir Reader that intense firing was heard in the area for several minutes at about 8pm, following which no more gunshots were heard.
“We heard in the morning that a truck driver has been killed and later, a militant has also been killed,” the local sources said.
Tuesday morning, as the news of the militant killing spread in the area, clashes erupted between government forces and local youth. No one was injured in the clashes, however.
Later in the day militants opened fire at an army party in Drubgam area of Pulwama district. Army retaliated the fire and after a brief exchange the militants fled the scene.
“No one was injured. We have cordoned off the area and searches are being conducted to try and track down the militants,” a senior police official told Kashmir Reader.

Suhail A Shah