Encounter breaks out in Shopian;Civilian killed in grenade blast; six injured in Srinagar clashes

STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Even as clashes erupted in the capital city of Srinagar as part of Friday protests, a civilian was killed and a paramilitary CRPF trooper injured in a grenade explosion in Pulwama town.
“Terrorists lobed a grenade at a security force party in Muran Chowk of Pulwama town,” a police official said.
Muhammad Ayoub Wani, who was injured in the explosion, later died from his injuries.
“The injured paramilitary trooper, identified as Constable Daljit Kiran of 182 battalion of CRPF, has been shifted to hospital,” the official said.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of civilian in Pulwama , saying violence has done no good to societies but have only added up the miseries and wounds of people leaving behind a trail of tragedies.
Mehbooba Mufti has also sympathised with the injured in the blast and prayed for their speedy recovery.
National Conference has also condemned the killing of a civilian Mohammad Ayub of Gasoo, Pulwama who lost his life in a grenade explosion in Murran Chowk, Pulwama and also  expressed grief over injuries sustained in the explosion by paramilitary forces. Meanwhile, parts of old Srinagar city saw clashes between stone-pelting mobs and security forces in which six people were injured.
After the Friday prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the afternoon, a group of youth in Nowhatta area started shouting slogans and tried to take out a march, a police official said. The security forces deployed there for law and order duty asked them to disperse but the protestors paid no heed to them and started pelting stones at them, the official said. The security forces used baton charge and fired tear gas shells to chase away the violent mob, the official said. Clashes were also reported from Rajouri Kadal and Parimpora areas of the old city and Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said. Six people were injured in these clashes, the official said.
In Drabgam area of Pulwama district, a group of youth pelted stones on a team of security forces which was conducting cordon and search operation following information about presence of militants in the area, the official said.
He said a police party chased away the protestors and the anti-militancy operation continued. According to late night reports, an encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Shopian. The gunfight erupted after security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Chillipora village of the district following information about presence of militants there, a police official said. As the security forces were closing in, they came under fire from the militants, he said.
“The operation is in progress and further details are awaited,” he added.

Rajnath reviews J&K security situation
New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reviewed the security situation in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir and other border areas. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and other senior officials briefed the him about the prevailing situation in the country, official sources said.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir, other border areas and the hinterland was discussed threadbare, they said.
Busy with the electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Singh attended his office in the North Block after nearly three weeks.
He has been campaigning for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh for a month and had last attended office more than a fortnight ago. However, the Home Minister has been in touch with senior officials, who have kept him in the loop on various issues regularly, sources said.