At least two ‘rebels’ were killed after a ‘gunfight’ in Pulwama district of the Indian-held Jammu Kashmir, according to local police on Sunday.
The Indian media reported that the incident happened when the two ‘rebels’ tried to ‘ambush’ a police party that included three officers of the rank of superintendent of police. “The ‘militants’ – travelling in a vehicle – were challenged at a checkpost set up by security forces in Padgampora area of Pulwama,” the police said.
Instead of giving themselves up, they started firing at the security personnel triggering a brief gunfight in which both were killed, a local police officer said. Deputy Inspector General of South Kashmir Police S Pani told the Press Trust of India news agency that the police have seized two weapons and the identity of the ‘rebels’ killed was being ascertained.
The suspects were identified as Rayees Ahmad Wani and Farooq Ahmad Hurra, residents of Shopian and Pulwama districts. Witnesses said that the police and the Indian paramilitary forces resorted to teargas shells to disperse people who had gathered near the Awantipora police station to demand the bodies of the slain Kashmiris.
The protesters retaliated by throwing stones, triggering clashes between the two sides. The bodies were later handed over to the next of the kin of the slain men. Last night, some suspected rebels carried out two attacks on police forces, pushing the state on high alert days ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit and the upcoming by-elections.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit the disputed state on April 2 for the inauguration of Chenani-Nashri tunnel.
During their intensified crackdowns, India’s paramilitary forces arrested hundreds of youth ahead of by-polls. The forces arrested at least 135 youth in Pulwama district alone in the past two weeks. In Mitrigam village, the police raided several houses and arrested at least a dozen youth.