Though the onset of autumn is considered the loveliest season in Kashmir as all the leaves from the green trees and plants change in crimson, this year the spell has commenced on a bloody note as 22 killings have taken place in just 12 days of October month.
Since 1 October, at least 22 people, including eight civilians, five personnel of the Indian army, and nine militants, have been killed in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen major escalation in violence.
The month began with a gunfight at dawn of 1 October in Shopian district of south Kashmir, during which, as per the police, one militant was killed. He was identified as Mujeeb Amin Lone, a resident of Redwani village of Kulgam district. The police added that he had joined militancy less than a month ago.
Next day, Majid Ahmad Gojri a resident of Chattabal Srinagar was killed in Karanagar area of Srinagar while PDD employee Mohammad Shafi Dar a resident of Batamallo was killed outside his home by the suspected militants.
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Three days later, on 5 October, gunmen shot and killed three people in separate attacks. Kashmir’s prominent chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo was shot dead at his medical store in Iqbal park, Lal chowk. Virendar Paswan a non local street vendor was killed in Lal Bazar area and Mohammad Shafi Lone, a Sumo Drivers Association president, was killed at Shahgund in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
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On October 7, three more killings took place in the valley. In the morning, suspected militants killed Supinder Kour, a school principal, and Deepak Chand, a teacher, inside a government school in Srinagar city. In the evening, a civilian Parvez Ahmad Khan was killed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at a checkpoint on Monghal bridge in Anantnag district
On October 8, government forces killed a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant identified as Aqib Bashir Kumar of Trenz Shopian, near Zum Zum hotel complex in Natipora area of Srinagar in a brief shootout.
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On October 11, seven people were killed, including five soldiers and two militants.
In the Surankote Poonch sector of Jammu, an army officer and four other soldiers were killed in action during an anti-insurgency operation. The slain soldiers were identified as Naib Subedar (JCO)Jaswinder Singh, Naik Mandeep Sinigh, Sepoy Gajjan Singh, sepoy Saraj Singh and sepoy Vaisakh H.
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In another two separate incidents, in the wee hours of Monday, police said that during a joint cordon and search operation was launched by police, 13RR and 47Bn CRPF in Gund Jahangir village area of south Kashmir’s Bandipora , an LeT militant Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar (Kokroo) was killed during the gunfight.
According to the police, Dar was the main accused in the killing of a civilian Mohammad Shafi alias Sonu at Shahgund. However, the family has refuted the police claims.
In another incident an unidentified militant was killed in a gunfight at Khagund, Verinag area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The police said that during cordon to arrest one militant associate Javid Ahmad Bhat, they came in contact with a militant who was later killed in a retaliation fire.
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On Tuesday (October 12), five militants were killed in two separate gunfights in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
According to the police official handout, at Tulran area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, police along with 34RR and CRPF killed three LeT (TRF) in a joint cordon and search operation.
The slain militants have been identified as Danish Hussain Dar resident of Ray Kapren Shopian, Yawar Hussain Naikoo resident of Pahlipora and Mukhtar Ahmed Shah resident of Sindbal, Ganderbal.
The police said that Mukhtar Shah, was involved in the targeted killing of a non-local vendor at Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.
Quoting Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar, the Kashmir Police Zone on its Twitter handle wrote, “Out of 03 killed militants, one terrorist has been identified as Mukhtar Shah of Ganderbal, who shifted to Shopian after killing one street hawker Virendra Paswan of Bihar. (sic)”
Similarly, in Feeripora Shopian two militants- Ubaid Ahmad Dar resident of Ray Kapren and Khubaib Ahmad Nengroo resident of Braripora- were killed in a gunfight.
Both the militants were associated with Let, according to the police.
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Around 150 people that include militants, government forces, politicians, civilians have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year.
According to the police, more than 100 militants have been neutralised so far in 2021, while a total of 29 civilians have been killed this year in Jammu and Kashmir.
