Srinagar: A forest employee was killed and another injured when militants fired upon them in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.
A police spokesperson said the force was informed that militants had fired upon a team of forest department employees who had laid a checkpoint to apprehend timber smugglers near Bangender Bridge in the south Kashmir district.
“Senior police officers reached the spot with additional reinforcement to ascertain the facts,” he said.
The injured—Imran Yousaf Wani son of Mohammad Yousaf Wani of Mohnu, Chararisherif and Jahangir Ahmed Chechi (forester) son of Ghulam Mohiudin Chechi of Gogjipather, Chadoora—were taken to a hospital.
While Wani, who received a bullet injury on his thigh, was later shifted to S M H S Hospital in Pulwama for specialised treatment, Chechi had superficial injuries and was discharged after first-aid, the spokesperson said. Later Wani succumbed to his injuries, the spokesperson said.
A case (FIR No. 79/2023) under sections 16, 20 UAP (Act), 307 IPC and 7/27 IA Act has been registered in police station Rajpora and investigation was underway, he added.
Soon after the incident, the whole area was cordoned off by security forces and an intensive search was launched. Two empty cartridges and a bullet head have been seized, the spokesperson said, adding the search operation was going on.

Press Trust of India