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Clashes erupt during search operation in Pulwama village

ESS AHMAD. Dated: 10/8/2017 10:19:27 AM

PULWAMA, Oct 7: Fierce clashes erupted during a cordon and search operation and search operation launched by the security forces today in Below village of southern Pulwama district. During the clashes a residential house mysteriously caught fire.
Official and local sources said security forces on an input about the presence of two LeT militants in the village laid a siege to the area late afternoon.
Soon after the forces started search operation, large number of youth took to streets and pelted them with stones triggering clashes. The forces, local sources said, resorted to heavy teargas shelling to disperse the stone throwing youth. The youth, however, refused to relent and continued stone attacks on forces. During the clashes that continued for hours a residential house belonging to Ghulam Ahmad Dar caught fire mysteriously. Though the people alleged that a teargas shell that landed under the roof of house triggered fire, however, the police denied the allegation. The forces, a source said, called off the operation at around 5.00 PM without any success.
A police official said that despite stone throwing protests by the youth they carried out searches in the target area.
"We conducted searches in the area where we had information about the presence of militants. But there was no contact with the militants," police official said.
Asked how the residential house gutted during the clashes, police official said that they are ascertaining the cause of fire. "The house was out of cordon area. So one thing is clear that the tear-smoke shelling is not the cause of fire," he said.