Srinagar, May 5 :A civilian was killed after being hit by a vehicle during protests by residents of an old Srinagar city area amid a gunfight between security forces and militants.

Locals alleged that a vehicle of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) ran over Adil Ahmed Yadoo as people protested and clashed with security forces near the shootout site in Safa Kadal -- a densely populated downtown neighbourhood on the banks of Jhelum.

The area is some distance away from Chattabal where a militant was killed in an ongoing gunfight with security forces.

However, CRPF PRO Rakesh Yadav refuted the allegation that the civilian was hit by a vehicle of the force.

"There was no CRPF vehicle in the area and the allegation is baseless,"says Yadav.

Locals and police said Yadoo was critically injured in the accident and was taken to the nearby S.M.H.S. Hospital. He was declared brought dead.

"Medical bulletin suggests that the person died due to a crush injury in a road traffic accident. Citizens may not pay heed to rumours," police said in a statement.

Meanwhile, intermittent firing exchange was still on in the area even as security forces killed a militant, police said.

Security forces including police and CRPF surrounded the Chattabal area following a tip-off about the presence of two militants in a hideout.

"One holed-up militant is still engaged in the gunfight with the security forces," a police source said.

A CRPF officer has been injured and internet services were suspended across the Srinagar district.

 

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Sambhal (UP) (PTI): Police used tear gas and "minor force" in the face of stone pelting by locals here on Sunday as tension escalated during a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple.

Tension has been seething in Sambhal over the past few days after the Jama Masjid was surveyed last Tuesday on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site.

According to the local administration, a second survey by an "Advocate Commissioner" as part of a court-ordered examination into the disputed site began around 7 am and a crowd began gathering at the spot.

"Some miscreants came out of the crowd gathered near the site and pelted stones at the police team. The police used minor force and tear gas to bring the situation under control," Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said.

He said those who engaged in stone pelting and those who incited them will be identified and action taken against them.

District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia said, "Some miscreants resorted to stone pelting but the situation is peaceful now and the survey is underway."

Videos of youths throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet.

Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is also the petitioner in the case, had said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an "Advocate Commission" to survey the mosque.

The court has said that a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said.

The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the mosque committee and the district magistrate of Sambhal have been made parties in the petition concerning the mosque, Jain said last Tuesday.

Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain have represented the Hindu side in many cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute.

Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, told PTI on Friday that in his petition filed in the court, he mentioned that "Baburnama" and the "Ain-e-Akbari" has confirmed that a Harihar temple was at the site where the Jama Masjid now stands.

He also claimed that the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq had objected to the developments.

"The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is historical and very old. The Supreme Court had given the order in 1991 that whatever religious places are there in whatever condition since 1947, they will remain at their places," he had said.

The next date for hearing in this case is January 29.