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1st Ld Writethru: Top militant commander, 2 associates killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight

Xinhua, July 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

Top commander of indigenous militant outfit - Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)- was killed along with two associates Friday in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The 22-year-old Burhan Muzaffar Wani, poster boy of HM was killed at village Waybemdoora of Kokernag town in Anantnag district, about 65 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

A policeman was also wounded fighting the trio in the village.

"Burhan Wani has been killed in a gunfight this evening," Indian military spokesman Col N N Joshi told Xinhua.

Police officials said the operation to hunt down Wani was carried out on a specific intelligence information about presence of militants in the area. Reports said gunfight broke out in the village after joint contingents of police and army fire warning shots outside the house where militants were suspected to be present.

"A policeman was also wounded in the gunfight," police spokesman said.

Wani featured in videos - wearing combat fatigues and brandishing automatic weapons - circulated on social networking websites aimed at encouraging new generation of Kashmiris to join militant groups and warning policemen to confine themselves in police stations.

Wani was among the most wanted militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir and carried a bounty of 14890 US dollars (one million INR).

"Wani was face of new age militancy in Kashmir and representative of the young educated local boys that are joining militancy," a police official said.

Wani's killing is seen as a major success to police and army fighting militancy in the region and a huge blow to militants in southern districts.

No sooner news about killing of Wani spread in southern districts of Srinagar, young men took to streets to stage demonstration to protest his killing and clashed with police. Police in Anantnag town fired tear smoke shells and warning shots to disperse the protesting youth.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit