Civilian killed in Tral, dubbed as militant by Army

Civilian killed in Tral, dubbed as militant by Army
Massive protests erupted in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district after Indian Army killed the brother of a most wanted Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzzafar Wani in a firing in the woods of Tral area. Army maintained that their personnel were patrolling the forest area as part of their search operations to nab militants.
Jammu and Kashmir Police identified the slain person as Muhammad Khalid Wani son of Muhammad Muzaffar of Shariefabad Tral-e-Payeen.
According to family of the killed youth, Khalid was presently pursuing diploma in stenography.
“Four people went to meet Burhan and others. Army patrol also reached and firing took place during which militants including Burhan fled. Khalid died and militants left the weapons there. Three other youths also
fled but were caught and they are being questioned,” Police spokesman told Mirror
He said Burhan was reportedly injured in the firing and the arrested three youths were in police custody and have confessed to have gone to meet Burhan in the forests.
"My son left home in the afternoon and did not return. They killed him in a fake encounter," Muzaffar Ahmad, Father of the killed youth told Mirror.
Top Army official told Mirror that many things have to be seen including what he was doing there along with others. We are investigating the matter.

ARMY VERSION:

A spokesman of Army’s 15 Corps said, “Consequent to the recent attack by militants on the security forces Army had intensified search operations at places from where inputs about likely presence of terrorists. One such operation at Kamla Top resulted in contact being established South of Hurdu Mir area of Tral are. The terrorists were effectively engaged and one terrorist was eliminated. Search of the area led to recovery of the body of the slain terrorist, two AK 47 Rifles and large quantity of war like stores were recovered from the site."

Meanwhile, massive operations to eliminate militants responsible for the killing of three police men are going on in Shopian district of South Kashmir. On April 6, a group of militants killed three police men at Ashipora village of Shopian district. Several villages of Shopian and Pulwama districts were cordon and search operations were conducted by police’s Special Operation Group and Army’s Rashtriya Rifles

Separatist leaders Yasin Malik and Masarat Alam were detained while they were on their way to Tral district of South Kashmir where protests broke out over the killing of a youth. Protestors snatched the service rifle of a CRPF jawan in Kashmir's Tral town where tension has flared up after the killing of a youth in army firing. Meanwhile, hours after civilian killing in Tral, another body has been retrieved in Buchoo area of Tral where the encounter took place,the deceased has been identified as Younis Ganai, who had joined militancy only a few days back.
Ganai, who was in his early twenties, suffered a bullet wound in his abdomen. His body was retrieved from the earlier encounter site. Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani has called for a march to Tral on Friday, 17 April, to protest the killing of a civilian in firing by Army.
In a statement, Geelani appealed the people to reach Tral on Friday to register their protest against what he termed as “the cold-blooded murder” of Khalid Muzaffar Wani.