Militants Escape After Night-Long Gunfight in South Kashmir’s Kulgam
Clashes Erupt as Locals Storm Encounter Site
Kulgam, May 29, KNT: Militants managed to escape from an encounter site in Mahammodpora village of Kulgam after a night-long gunfight between security forces and armed militants, reports said.
A joint team comprising Army’s 9 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF’s 18 Battalion and SOG personnel had launched a cordon-and-search operation in the village after receiving specific inputs about militant presence inside a house.
Officials said that soon after contact was established, heavy exchange of fire broke out and continued intermittently for several hours.
During the early hours, the house where militants were believed to be holed up was damaged. As the operation progressed, inhabitants from Mahammodpora and adjoining areas assembled near the encounter site and clashes erupted. Witnesses said a large crowd entered the damaged structure during the chaos, following which the militants escaped.
Clashes between forces and protesters left scores injured. Medical sources said several youths were shifted to Srinagar hospitals with pellet injuries, including multiple cases of eye injuries, while one youth sustained a bullet injury in the abdomen.
No militant casualty was reported in the operation. [KNT]
