TRAL: Government forces on Saturday resorted to aerial firing to chase away thousands of people who were trying to march towards the gunfight site in aripal village of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Reports said that thousands of people from adjoining villages of Pastuna, Seer, Gulshanpora, Luraw and Handura started marching towards Aripal after rumours of killing of a Hizb commander Hammad Khan spread in the area.
They said that the forces fired in the air to chase away the people.
An official said that the operation is on at the site of the gunfight that broke out today morning after the forces launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Aripal village.
Witnesses said that the exchange of fire stopped hours ago after the forces set the house ablaze in which the militants were trapped.
So far officials are tight-lipped over the militant casualties, however sources said that two to three militants were trapped in the area.
A police official confirmed the injuries to a CRPF trooper in the firefight.