‘Militant’ killed in gunfight, Congress alleges foul play

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, December 1

The Army on Thursday claimed to have killed a suspected militant in south Kashmir in a brief gunfight, but the Congress has alleged that the slain was a party worker and was killed in staged encounter.

Sajad Ahmad Malik, alias Bitta, was shot dead this evening in Aagnoo village of Dooru in Anantnag district.

“A terrorist was gunned down during an encounter in the area. One weapon was recovered from him,” the Army said.

The former Congress village head was in police custody for the past over one and a half months and was accused of being involved in organising protests in the area.

The killing has sparked fresh tension in Anantnag.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir has called the killing a political murder and has sought a judicial inquiry into the killing.

No police official from the area has responded to repeated calls by The Tribune.

However, a senior most police officer in Srinagar said they were ascertaining the facts.

“The initial information is that he decamped with a rifle and was killed in a gunfight,” he said.