Youth dies, civilian death toll in Shopian encounter rises to 6

Srinagar: The civilian death toll in Sundays clashes between protestors and security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir today climbed to six after a youth succumbed to injuries at a hospital here.

Iqbal Bhat, who sustained a bullet injury in the abdomen, succumbed to injuries at SHMS Hospital here this morning, a police official said. He said the body of the deceased youth was taken by his relatives to his native Nagbal area of Shopian for last rites.

Five civilians died on Sunday during clashes between protestors and security forces near an encounter site in Shopian while several others were injured. Five militants including top Hibzul Mujahideen commander Saddam Padder and Kashmir University professor Mohammad Rafi Bhat were killed in a gunbattle with security forces on Sunday.