In a successful encounter for the security forces, five Hizbul Mujahideen militants were gunned down in Badigam village Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Sunday, 6 May.
Among the deceased militants were an assistant professor from Kashmir University, identified as Mohammad Rafi Bhat, as well as Saddam Padder, a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Five Civilians Die in Clashes
Following the encounter, clashes broke out between civilians and security forces in Shopian, Pulwama and other parts of South Kashmir, leading to the death of at least five civilians.
Bhat, whose involvement with militancy began only two days ago on Friday, was a contractual assistant professor in the Sociology department of the Kashmir University and hailed from the Gaderbal district in the state.
According to a PTI report, the police is said to have made repeated attempts to persuade the professor to surrender, but to no avail.
The encounter led to the Kashmir University suspending classes for two days from Monday as a precautionary measuring, along with postponing examinations. Mobile internet services also stood suspended in various areas of south and central Kashmir, as well as in the capital Srinagar for the second consecutive day, PTI further reported.
Notably, Sunday’s encounter came less than 24 hours after security forces killed three militants in a gunbattle in Srinagar’s Chattabal area on Saturday.
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