Five militants killed in J&K gunfight
Srinagar, May 6 : Five militants including a Kashmir University teacher who went missing last week, were killed on Sunday in a gunfight with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said.
Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid said all five holed-up militants in Badigam village have been killed.
The slain militants have been identified as Saddam Paddar -- a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Tawseef Sheikh, Molvi Bilal, Adil Ahmad and Muhammad Rafi Bhat -- the missing Kashmir University assistant professor, who according to police had joined militant ranks.
Paddar was a close associate of Burhan Wani, who was killed in July 2016 in a gunfight in Kokernag area in Anantnag district.
Bhat was trapped along with militants in the gunfight.
Bhat, an assistant professor in the sociology department of Kashmir University, was reported missing on Friday. He belonged to Chunduna village in Ganderbal district.
Earlier, the police took his mother, wife and brother to Badigam village to persuade Bhat to surrender.There were angry protests in the university campus on Saturday as students asked the authorities to locate Bhat.
Para commandos of the army were also deployed to help fight the holed up militants during Sunday's gunfight.
The security forces including Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operations Group (SOG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had surrounded Badigam following a tip-off about the presence of militants.
An army soldier and a policeman were also injured in the gunfight.Besides, 12 civilians sustained injuries in the clashes between protesters and security forces near the gunfight site.One civilian with critical injuries has been shifted to Srinagar for treatment.
Authorities have suspended mobile internet services across south Kashmir.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
J&K polls: Amit Shah arrives in Jammu ahead of Saturday's hectic campaigning
Jammu (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Jammu on Friday night ahead of the hectic day-long campaigning on Saturday during which he will address five public rallies in three districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah arrived here from Delhi and drove straight to the State Guest house, a senior BJP leader said.
Shah will fly to Poonch early tomorrow morning and address the first of four rallies in Mendhar followed by Surankote in Poonch district, he added.
Shah is scheduled to address rallies in Thanamandi and Rajouri followed by Akhnoor in Jammu.
He is also expected to hold a rally in the Nowshera constituency in support of Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Sunday.
