Ultra killed in Sopore gunfight

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 20

An unidentified militant was killed in a brief shooting in north Kashmir’s Sopore sub-district late on Friday, the Army said.

They gunfight broke when militants fired at an Army patrol at Watergam, Rafiabad in the Sopore area on Friday evening.

“The fire was retaliated by the Army, resulting in the death of the militant. A pistol was recovered from the site,” the Army said.

The area was soon cordoned off as the Army suspected another militant was hiding in the area. However, the operation was called off as no militant could be traced. A police official said the identity of the slain militant and his group affiliation was being ascertained.

Meanwhile, protests erupted against the Army in north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district on Saturday. The protests, according to locals, erupted in Trehgam after the Army manhandled a local.

“The locals were protesting against the Army after they hit a private vehicle. The protesters blocked the Trehgam-Kupwara road. As the protest was under way, a scuffle broke between the Army and the protesters. The Army fired some gunshots to disperse the protesters,” locals said. The police said there was a minor scuffle between locals and the Army over parking issue. The situation was quickly brought under control,” the official said.