Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that civilians killed in Pahnoo Shopian were caught in “crossfire” between militants and army.
“Deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families,” the chief minister said in a tweet.
Four civilians and a militant were killed at Pahnoo Shopian while police said that another militant, whose body was found at Saidpora, some ten kilometres from the spot, might be “part of the chain of (the) incident”
“Body of one more militant recovered at Saidpora in jurisdiction of police station Hurpora Shopian. He has been identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat resident of Rakh Kapran of LeT. He was missing from 13 November 2017,” a police spokesman said.
He added: “The preliminary investigation suggests the death of the militant a part of the chain of incident at Pahnoo Shopian. Further investigation is on.”
Earlier in the day, police found body of a civilian Gowhar Ahmed Lone of Chitragam Shopian. He was on wheels of the vehicle (Wagon R) driven by him with four bullets piercing through his body.
