An Indian policeman stands guard in front of closed shops in Srinagar on February 11, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
SRINAGAR: Hundreds of angry villagers clashed with police in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday following suspicions security forces shot dead seven civilians they mistook for rebels, a police officer and a witness said.
The villagers torched a police station in the forested Kupwara region close to the de facto border with Pakistan to demand security forces hand over the bodies for identification and for burial, an unnamed officer said.
"Police fired tear gas and warning shots in the air to disperse the angry crowd who were hurling rocks at them," the officer said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media.
A local resident, Manzoor Ahmed, said by phone that one villager was wounded with a bullet during Tuesday's clashes before paramilitary reinforcements were called in to control the situation.
He said villagers "suspect" that seven people killed overnight Monday were civilians rather than armed rebels, as rumours circulated in the area about civilian hunters who have gone missing.
On Monday, the army said it killed the seven suspected rebels in remote Dardpora village, 140 kilometres (87 miles) from the main city of Srinagar, during a joint operation with police.
"The identities of the seven are being ascertained," army spokesperson N N Joshi told AFP.
The shootings took place near the highly militarised border that divides the Himalayan region between India and Pakistan. Both countries have claimed the territory in full since independence from Britain in 1947.
About a dozen militant groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 for independence or for merger of the territory with Pakistan. The fighting has left tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, dead.
The Indian government and security establishment have recently expressed fears of a possible escalation in rebel activity ahead of the country's general elections due by the end of May.
The Indian army has also expressed concern that battle hardened fighters from Afghanistan might turn their attention to Kashmir once again after the withdrawal of US troops from that country.
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@Ria - What should the police and security forces do? Let these people attack them and not defend themselves? You sit in your cushy home in front of a computer and pass judgement on these brave soldiers. You are nothing but a disgrace.
@ria:
Ria, pakistani airforce dropped huge bombs on residential area yesterday in its troubled areas and miraculously 30 terrorists died without hurting a civilian.
You gotta trust your army, especially when they are putting their lives at risk.
@ria: like one of those terrorist called him and told that he is not terrorist, before killed by Indian Army. Good job Indian army, kill more terrorists.
Indian State should stop its terrorist activities against the Kashmiri populace.
Bodies were identified. They were all foreign militants and none locals. Great job Indian Army.
Seven Terrorist were gunned in an encounter with the Indian Army in Kupwara district of North Kashmir on Monday, giving security forces the biggest success against the ultras this year. The Army Spokesman said a cache of arms, ammunition and war-like stores have been recovered. The Army has requested the Defense Ministry to enhance troop deployment in all adjoining areas as more militants might be trapped in the nearby jungle before the Army could launch the final assault. Whether these are local citizens or not was not confirmed as their identities are not yet know.
@ria: What is your definition of militants? These people were firing on the Kashmiri police which is 100% Kashmiri and largely Muslim. If these people are not militants then who is?