Numan Bhat
SRINAGAR: The city woke up on Saturday morning to the sounds of gunfire, as the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed its first encounter in almost three years, resulting in the death of one militant. Elsewhere in the Valley, two more militants were shot dead.
In recent weeks, a series of incidents unfolded across the valley, pointing to escalating tensions in the region. Encounters were reported in multiple districts.
A Quiet Morning Shattered
In the tightly-knit locality of Khanyar, an encounter broke out between security forces and militants after dawn.
Acting on intelligence, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the densely populated neighbourhood. A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Usman Bhai, a Pakistani national, was killed in the gunfight. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, V K Birdi, confirmed that Usman Bhai was involved in the killing of police Inspector Masroor Ahmed Wani.
During the exchange, four security personnel – two CRPF jawans and two policemen – were injured.
Giving an account of the unsettling morning, Manzoor Ahmed, a resident, said, “We heard gunshots early in the morning during Fajr prayers. It was sudden, and everyone hurriedly went inside their homes. Then, the security forces evacuated us from the area before moving forward with the operation.”
However, some people around the area said that the cordon and search operation started around 2.00 AM and that they heard some shots fired briefly. After the pre-dawn prayers, there was intermittent firing, a man said on condition of anonymity.
Gunfight in Khanyar
Police said that the militants fired after the prayers and the security forces retaliated. People from houses in the area were asked to vacate their homes and move outside the cordon, after which the gun battle started.
Earlier, police said that there was the possibility of two or three militants holed up in the area. However, later they said that one militant was killed in the operation and there was as yet, no trace of any other. “Operation is still going on,” they added.
Usman Bhai, the slain militant, is said to be one of the senior-most operatives of Lashkar-e-Toiba. Police said he was involved in the killing of police officer, Masroor Ahmed Wani, who was shot at while he was playing cricket, at Eidgah on October 29, 2023. Wani later succumbed to his injuries in December.
He was killed inside a house he was hiding in. Residents from nearby areas said that the house was damaged during the operation.
Though militancy-related incidents have been reported from other parts of the Valley, the lull of the summer capital was broken after a long time, creating panic among residents.
The last gunfight in Srinagar took place nearly three years ago, in January 2022, when two militants, including Hajin Bandipora’s Muhammad Salim Parrey, were killed on the outskirts of Shalimar. Since then, Srinagar had largely remained free from such confrontations, though sporadic militant strikes kept the city on edge.
Deadly Encounter in Anantnag
Militancy-related incidents were also reported from other parts of the Valley.
Further south, in Anantnag, security forces clashed with militants in the remote Halkan Gali area of Shangus-Larnoo.
By the end of the operation, two militants were confirmed dead – one a local, the other a foreign national. Authorities are working to establish their group affiliations, while the operation continues, leaving residents in the area wary but hopeful for calm.
Search Operation Underway in Bandipora’s Dense Forests
Meanwhile, in Bandipora, the army’s vigilance was heightened late Friday night when troops detected suspicious movement in Panar, a heavily forested area in north Kashmir. When challenged, militants opened indiscriminate fire before disappearing into the cover of the thick jungle.
As of Saturday, a search operation is underway as forces comb the forested landscape, determined to secure the area.
The incidents mark a resurgence of violence in Kashmir, sparking concern among residents as security forces work to stabilize the region.
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