Three militants have been killed in a shootout with security forces in the heart of the Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, police said yesterday, two days after eight rebels died in another gunbattle.
New Delhi has been stepping up counter-insurgency efforts in the region since the nationwide coronavirus lockdown was imposed in late March.
The militants were killed in a firefight in the Zoonimar area of the densely populated old city of Srinagar, a police officer who asked to remain anonymous said.
One home was destroyed during the clash.
Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar told reporters that the security forces tried their best to persuade the militants holed up in the house to surrender.
“Even their parents were brought in to persuade them to surrender, but they refused.”
The IGP said one of the militants was involved in the killings of two Borer Security Force troopers in Pandach area of Srinagar last month.
Authorities suspended mobile Internet services and imposed restrictions in the city to maintain law and order.
This was second such encounter in the old city, and took the death toll of alleged militants to over 100 this year.
Just over a month ago, the son of a top separatist leader and his associate were killed in the city.
The May incident - a day-long firefight that saw 15 homes blown up by police and soldiers - was the first armed encounter between rebels and government forces in Srinagar in two years.
Security personnel rush to the site of a firefight at Zoonimar area in the old city of Srinagar yesterday.
