DSP, 3 Militants Among Five Killed in Kulgam Gunfight in Kashmir

Five people including operational Deputy Superintendent of Police, an army man and three militants were killed in an ambush led by government forces on Sunday, February 24, in Turigam Yaripora in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

On Sunday, a joint team of the army’s 34th battalion Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and Special Officers’ Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police cordoned off Turigam village after receiving a tip about the presence of the militants in the area.

Soon after forces established contact with the militants, the hiding militants fired upon the forces leading to an ambush.

Meanwhile, scores of people gathered and started protesting near the spot to help the trapped militants to break the cordon and escape which led to intense clashes in the area. To disperse the protesters, forces restored to chilli, pepper and tear gas canisters which further aggravated the clashes in the area.

As per reports, many people were injured during the heavy clashes and were shifted to the district hospital for treatment.

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While talking to NewsClick, police officials said that during the ambush, the operational DSP received bullet injury on his head and was quickly referred to the hospital where doctors declared him as brought dead. Two army men were injured during the ambush, one among which succumbed to his injuries.

Officials have identified the slain DSP as Aman Thakur, son of Swami Raj and a resident of Doda district in Jammu region. He was posted in Kulgam two years back. Aman had recently been awarded the commendation medal for being part of many ambushes of “Operation All Out”.  He was a 2011 batch KPS Officer and was leading this operation. Aman is survived by octogenarian parents, his wife Sarla Devi and his six-year-old son, Arya. The slain army man has been identified as Subedar Somveer of 34 RR.

In the ambush, three militants were also killed. Police officials believe that they were affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). However, their identity is yet to be ascertained.

On the evening of the same day, a wreath-laying event was held in District Police Line (DPL) Srinagar, where many top civil and police officials paid tribute to Aman.

In a statement, a police spokesperson said that civil and police officers led by DGP J&K Police Dilbagh Singh, IPS; IGP Operations CRPF, Zulfikar Hassan, IPS; Division Commander Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan; IGP Kashmir S. P. Pani; IG CRPF Ravideep Sahai, Range DIG; and DC Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Chowdhary laid floral wreaths on the mortal remains and paid tributes to the slain martyr for his supreme sacrifice made in the line of duty.

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