KUPWARA GUNFIGHT Internet services suspended to prevent social media misuse
The marks on the bodies of the militants do not indicate that they were killed today. It seems they have been killed 6-7 days ago and brought here KUPWARA RESIDENTS
SRINAGAR: An army soldier, who was wounded during an encounter with militants in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday, died on Sunday.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral of the five militants, who were killed in the encounter.
An army spokesman said Naik Gawade Pandurang Mahadev sustained head injuries during the gunfight in Chak Drugmulla village of Kupwara and was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
“He made a supreme sacrifice while fighting valiantly with the terrorists in Drugmulla village on May 21,” the spokesman said.
The mortal remains of the soldier will be flown to his village in Sindudurg district of Maharashtra after necessary formalities. Security forces said five militants were killed and two soldiers were wounded in a fierce gun battle in Drugmulla on Saturday.
‘STAGED GUNFIGHT’
On Sunday, thousands of people from the villages of Kupwara converged at Chak Drugmulla to participate in the funeral procession of the militants amid profreedom slogans.
After the militants were laid to rest in the morning, locals took to streets to protest.
Some locals alleged that the militants were killed in a “staged gun fight”. They said the state of dead bodies of the militants indicated that “they might have been killed a week back”. “The marks on the bodies of the militants do not indicate that they were killed today. It seems they have been killed 6-7 days ago and brought here,” the residents alleged.
Kupwara superintendent of police Aijaz Ahmad denied the allegations: “This is not true.” He said the militants were foreigners and seem to have infiltrated recently. Internet services were also suspended in Kupwara as authorities feared that situation could escalate owing to the spread of rumours.