Srinagar’s Zabarwan forest rattled by gunfight, residents flee in panic
In an encounter in Zabarwan forest area on the outskirts of Srinagar city, gunfire was exchanged between security forces and terrorists on Sunday morning, forcing residents to flee in panic as additional forces were mobilised to strengthen the cordon.
Kashmir police in a statement said a joint police and security forces operation was launched in Zabarwan forest area of Srinagar based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists. An exchange of fire ensued during the operation, it read. It is after years that terrorists entered into a gunfight with the security forces in Zabarwan forest.
Additional teams of Army and police reached and cordoned-off the area so that the terrorists were not able to escape. However, no exchange of firing was reported after the initial hours of gunfight.
This is the second encounter in Srinagar city in recent time. A day-long encounter had taken place in the Khanyar locality of downtown Srinagar early this month which left a top Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) dead.
The encounter in Zabarwan lasted several hours before the guns fell silent but the terrorists managed to flee taking advantage of the thick foliage. However, the search for the fleeing terrorists was continuing when the last reports were received, the officials said.
The forested area has a cluster of over a dozen houses and many residents fled the locality due to panic. This forest area serves the locals in grazing their cattle and also womenfolk bring firewood from the woods to save themselves from the bone-chilling winter of Kashmir.
Soon after the exchange of fire began, additional reinforcements from the Special Operations Group (SOG) of police and the CRPF rushed to the area and placed it under a tight cordon.
The security forces also restricted the movement of civilians in an attempt to prevent any loss of lives. Even media persons, who reached the spot to report the encounter, were kept at a safe distance.
