Militant behind grenade attack killed in Pulwama

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, October 18

A local, freshly recruited militant of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) was killed in a brief gunfight with security forces late Wednesday night in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

The militant was later identified as Showkat Bin Yousuf, a resident of Awanitpora in Pulwama district. He had joined the HuM ranks on October 3.

A senior police officer from Pulwama confirmed the killing and said an ambush was laid by the security forces in the Kakapora area of Pulwama district late last night, following inputs regarding the movement of militants.

“Several militants were travelling together and when confronted near Dougam village by security forces, they opened indiscriminate fire. The shootout took place about midnight,” the officer said.

He said the fire was retaliated and while other militants escaped from the area, one of them was killed.

The militant, the officer said, was believed to have carried out a grenade attack in the Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Wednesday afternoon.

“Another accomplice of his, a 17-year-old freshly recruited militant, was apprehended in Pattan by the security forces. He is being questioned,” the official said.

The body of the militant was handed over to his family in Awantipora early this morning, following which thousands gathered to take part in his funeral prayers.

Some militants also appeared at the funeral and offered a gun salute to the slain ultra. Internet services, already on 2G mode in the area, were snapped minutes after the shootout.