J&K: Civilian shot dead in 'chance encounter' in Shopian

The locals alleged that the deceased went into a nearby ditch during the encounter when the security forces opened fire on him.

Shopian (Jammu and Kashmir): A civilian was killed in an encounter on Saturday in the Shopian district of South Kashmir. The encounter broke out between the militants and a joint team of police and CRPF in the Turkwangam area here.

The deceased, identified as Shoaib Muhammad Ganai, son of Ghulam Muhammad Ganai, a resident of Turkawangam village was hit with a bullet during the encounter. “Terrorists fired upon joint patrol party of CRPF’s 182 batallion and SOG of Pulwama near the bridge connecting Litter Pulwama with Turkwangam, Shopian," a police spokesman said.

"During the exchange of fire between terrorists and our joint team, one civilian namely Shoib Ahmad Ganie son of Ghulam Mohammad of Turkwangam Shopian got injured,” he added. The official further informed that Ganai breathed his last while receiving treatment at the Pulwama District Hospital after getting shot.

The official also informed that the terrorists managed to slip into nearby orchards after a brief 'chance encounter'. “The search is still going on. We have registered a case and taken up the investigation into the matter," he added. Meanwhile, the locals alleged that the deceased went into a nearby ditch during the encounter when the security forces opened fire on him.