Some youth held for ‘stone pelting’ post encounter in Nowgam: Police

Srinagar, Mar 17 : Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday claimed to have arrested several youth, who are allegedly involved in stone pelting and arson post encounter at Nowgam area of Srinagar yesterday.

A police spokesman in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that on 16-03-2022 at Shankarpora Nowgam Srinagar, three categorised militants of LeT/TRF were killed.

“As per the SOP, the site was being cleared to ensure the safety of citizens. Accordingly, signboards were also placed around the site of encounter, while it was being sanitized, to dissuade citizens from approaching the site prior to sanitization with regard to any left-over explosives from terrorists that could cause damage to locals.”

“However, a large unruly mob consisting of young boys assembled near from adjacent areas near Shankerpora Wanabal carrying lathies and stones in their hands and tried to pelt stones on the deployed nafri, which was asking them not to approach the site or encounter before being cleared of explosive debris.”

Police said that in order to disperse the mob, smoke shells were used, as per the SOPs.

Accordingly, a case under FIR number 46/2022 under relevant sections of law stands registered in PS Nowgam and some youth were identified from videos and from initial investigation, many of these were picked up and are being examined in the said case.

“Some of them have been arrested as well. Srinagar Police, urges all citizens to stay away from encounter sites so to ensure their own safety, keeping in view the likelihood of left over explosives from the militants,” police said—(KNO)