Indian army troopers take position near the site of gunfight at village Saimoo-Tral in Pulwama district, about 40 km south of Srinagar, summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 27, 2017. A top militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and his associate were killed in a fierce gunfight with troops at village Saimoo-Tral in Pulwama district of Indian-controlled Kashmir. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Fresh anti-India protests and clashes were triggered in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir Saturday after the killing of a top militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and his associate in a fierce gunfight with troops, police said.
The duo were killed at village Saimoo-Tral in Pulwama district, about 40 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"During the night, a fire exchange broke out after militants inside a house fired on positions of army and police," a senior police official told Xinhua. "This morning the firing resumed and in the exchange of fire two militants of HM, including a top commander, were killed."
The slain militants were identified as Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and Faizan Ahmad, both local cadres of HM, the region's indigenous militant outfit.
As the gunfight was raging, scores of residents especially youth tried to storm the gunfight site shouting anti-India slogans.
After the news about the death of HM commander spread out, spontaneous shutdown and clashes were triggered in most of the towns including Srinagar city, Pulwama and Anantnag.
Police fired dozens of tear smoke shells and used shotgun pellets in Pulwama and Anantnag to chase young protesters, who resorted to stone pelting.
According to local media reports, many civilians were injured in the clashes.
Bhat was successor of prominent militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, who was killed last year.
Wani's killing triggered massive protests in the region for months, during which at least 90 people were killed and over 14,000 injured. Authorities also arrested around 8,000 civilians to contain the protests.
Authorities on Saturday also blocked mobile internet services in the region.
Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris.
A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule has been going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
