South Kashmir’s Shopian writes another gory story, 10 killed

Srinagar, May 06 (KNB): The topmost Hizb commander and one who was supposed to be the last surviving militant in the viral image that circulated during Burhan Wani days Saddam Paddar was killed in an encounter at Badigam Shopian along with his four companions including newly recruited Kashmir University Assistant Professor. As per the latest reports five civilian too have died in the clashes.
According to the sources, Sunday morning SFs including Shopian police and Army, CRPF carried out searches in the Badigam area of Shopian which resulted in an encounter. The trapped militants fired heavily upon the government forces to which they guarded response fired back.



The slain militants are identified as, Saddam Paddar, Muhammad Rafi Bhat, Tawseef Sheikh, Bilal Moulvi and Adil Ahmad.
The slain civilians were identified as Asif Ahmad Mir, Zubair Ahmad Negroo of Ayangund Rajpora, Yasir of Shopian, Adil Ahmad, a resident of Ashmuji in Kulgam district and Sajad Ahmad Mir of Verinag Dooru.
Meanwhile, police used motivating methods to pursue militants to surrender but it is said they refused the offer and the gunfight ensued.
The killing of Kashmir University doctorate scholar and Assistant professor Muhammad Rafiq Bhat makes it among one of the most qualified militants ever killed in the thirty-year history of Kashmir gun battles. On the other hand, Saddam Paddar was among the longest surviving Hizb militants in the valley.
Post-encounter incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot.
With mobile internet blockage, strict restrictions in parts of Valley, protests in South Kashmir and other areas of Kashmir erupted resulting in the death of five young civilians in South Kashmir. In the initial firefight, an army Jawan and SOG cop were wounded.
The encounter in Shopian comes a day after three LeT militants and a civilian were killed in Srinagar.
Twenty persons, including 13 militants and three Army personnel, were killed as security forces launched “coordinated,” multiple operations in Shopian and Anantnag in south Kashmir on Sunday, 1st April. (KNB)