Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat, who succeeded slain militant Burhan Wani, was killed on Saturday along with another militant in a gun battle with security forces in Pulwama. His killing has triggered protests across the Kashmir valley.
Bhat alias Abu Zarar had succeeded Wani, who was killed on 8 July last year in a security operation in Anantnag. Bhat carried a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head and was on top of the security forces’ most -wanted list, Director General of Police S.P. Vaid confirmed.
Bhat, 28, was killed in a four-hour-long gunfight in a village in Tral sub-division of Pulwama district. The Tral gunfight ensued after a patrol of the Army’s counter-insurgency unit Rashtriya Rifles was fired upon near Tral town late on Friday evening and security forces quickly surrounded two houses in Saimoh village where the militants had taken shelter.
A fierce gunfight started in the village on Saturday morning and ended when the houses the militants had been using as fortified bunkers were destroyed, police said.
Fresh reinforcements of Army and paramilitary forces were brought in to control the crowds at the encounter site.
Reports claimed that as the protestors were marching to the encounter site, security forces opened fire on the protestors allegedly killing one civilian, Moulvi Auqib, and injuring about a dozen orhers.
According to top official sources, the authorities are likely to impose a curfew on Sunday, 28 May, which is also the first day of the holy month of Ramzan. The separatist leadership has already given a general strike call for two days—Sunday and Monday—while on Tuesday they have asked the people to march to Tral to protest against the firing on the protestors at the encounter site.
Following Bhat’s killing in the gunfight in Saimoh village, massive protests erupted at many places in south, central and north Kashmir. Markets were shut in Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian towns immediately after news about the killing spread. Internet services have been snapped to avoid rumour mongering. Authorities had only on Friday evening lifted a ban on social media, which was imposed in April.
In an incident, students of a polytechnic institute and a college in Srinagar started pelting stones at the police while a protest was underway in Nowhatta.
Authorities are taking steps to ensure that the killing of the Hizbul commander does not flare up into any major law and order situation.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will hold a high level security meeting in Srinagar to ensure that law and order is maintained, sources said.