Casual labour killed, Forester injured in Pulwama

SRINAGAR — A casual labourer was killed while a Forester was injured after they were fired upon by militants, officials said on Wednesday.

Two employees of the Forest Department were shot at and injured in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, a police spokesman said in a statement issued to the news agency KNO.

A police spokesman in a statement issued here said that Police in Pulwama received information about an incident at Bangender Bridge in which two Forest Department employees got injured.

“Senior police officers along with additional reinforcement reached the spot to ascertain the facts,” police said.

“Police Station Rajpora received information through a reliable source that terrorists had fired upon a team of Forest Department of district Budgam, causing injuries to two employees, who had laid a checkpoint to apprehend the timber smugglers near Bangender Bridge falling under the jurisdiction of PS Rajpora in district Pulwama,” police said.

However, police said that the injured were immediately evacuated to hospital for the treatment.

Both the injured have been identified as Imran Yousaf Wani son of Mohd Yousaf Wani, resident of Mohnu, Charar-i-Sharief (bullet injury in the thigh)and shifted to SHMS Hospital Srinagar for specialised treatment and Jahangir Ahmed Chechi (Forester) son of Gh Mohiudin Chechi, resident of Gogjipather, Chadoora (minor superficial injuries and discharged after first aid), according to the police.

Regarding the incident, police said that a case under FIR number 79/2023 under sections 16, 20 UAP (Act), 307 IPC and 7/27 IA Act got registered in Police Station Rajpora and an investigation has been initiated.

“Soon after the incident, the whole area was cordoned off by Police, Army and CAPFs and an intensive search operation was launched. During the search of the scene of the crime, two empty fired cartridges of AK-47 ammunition and one bullet head were recovered from the spot. However, the search operation is going on,” police said.

Meanwhile, an official said that a casual labourer identified as Imran Yousuf Wani of Charar-e-Sharief succumbed to his injuries at SMHS Hospital Srinagar.