Civilian killed, over 6 others injured in alleged SF firing in Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 14: One person was killed and over six others were injured when security forces allegedly opened fire to disperse stone pelting demonstrators, who were trying to disrupt the search operation against holed up militants in Pulwama on Saturday morning. However, police said a civilian was killed during the encounter between the militants and security forces near the encounter site. The trouble started immediately after news spread that two local militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), including a commander, were killed in an encounter at Litter, following which hundreds of people in the nearby areas hit the streets, trying to move towards encounter site. However, security forces deployed in these areas immediately swung into action and prevented the demonstrators to move towards Litter. Official sources said as the demonstrators refused to disperse, security forces opened fire in which over eight people were injured. The injured were rushed to local hospital, from where two of them in critical condition were referred to Srinagar. One of the injured identified as Gulzar Ahmad Mir, a resident of Allapora, succumbed while the condition of another Mohammad Ashraf Mir was critical. Massive protests erupted in other parts of the district, where authorities had snapped internet service and also ordered closure of all educational institutions as a precautionary measure. UNI