Clashes erupted between local residents and forces at Lelhara Kakapora in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district when the latter cordoned off a residential area and an orchard between Mohanvig and Lelhara villages at about 5:30 pm Tuesday. At least three civilians, including two females, were injured in the clashes.
Reports said that following inputs about presence of militants, forces cordoned off the area this evening. “As the news about the cordon spread in the area, youth from different villages assembled near the spot and pelted stones on forces from all sides,” witnesses said.
The forces lobbed tear gas shells, triggering clashes.
Soon the cordon was lifted, officials said. The clashes erupted from all sides of the cordoned site. Three locals including a woman and a girl were injured, witnesses said. They were identified as Bisma Jan D/o Khursheed Ahmad, Showkat Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat and Raja Begum w/o Ghulam Rasool Bhat, all residents of Lelhara Kakapora, Pulwama.
They were shifted to hospital where they were being treated.
Panic gripped the area due to the clashes and some locals said they faced problems due to the tear smoke. When contacted, SP Pulwama Rayees Mohammad Bhat said, “We cordoned off the area between Mohanvij and Lelhara today. As we concluded the cordon, youth pelted stones on forces so we retaliated.”
“We have no information that any one has got injured in the clashes,” he said. Earlier, forces cordoned some areas of Sangarwani Pulwama this afternoon. However later the cordon was lifted.
During search for militants in Pulwama, locals resort to stone pelting
