A sociology teacher of the Kashmir University, Rafi Bhat and the top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Saddam Paddar, were among the five terrorists shot dead on Sunday by security forces in an encounter at Badigam in the Shopian district of South Kashmir. Five civilians were also killed in the crossfire, police confirmed.

A youth, identified as Asif Ahmad Mir of Rohomoo Pulwama, was critically injured after suffering a bullet injury in his head. He was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed. Four other civilians were killed as forces fired at protesters in Chitragam and Behibagh areas of Shopian and Kulgam districts, respectively.

The slain civilians were identified as Zubair Ahmad Negroo of Ayangund Rajpora, Yasir of Shopian, Adil Ahmad, a resident of Ashmuji in Kulgam district and Sajad Ahmad of Verinag Dooru.

Four civilians were also injured as security forces opened fire at a mob that indulged in stone-pelting.

The 26 years old Paddar was among the most wanted terrorists and had joined HM in 2015 after deserting the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). He belonged to the Heff village of Shopian district.

The encounter began early in the morning and was over by noon when the J&K DGP SP Vaid announced that five bodies have been recovered at the encounter spot.

Reports identified the slain terrorists as Saddam Padder, Mohammad Rafi Bhat, Tawseef Sheikh, Bilal Moulvi and Adil Ahmad. Padder was an aide of slain HM commander and poster boy of terrorism Burhan Wani. A soldier of the 44 RR of the Army and Anil Kumar, a policeman were injured during the encounter.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SP Pani said that efforts were made to persuade the terrorists to surrender but they refused. Announcements were made on loudspeakers, he said. “We even tried to take their families to the encounter site to persuade the militants but to no avail,” said Pani.

What was a disturbing factor was that of the Kashmir University professor Rafi Bhat taking up the gun and getting killed within two days of joining terrorism.

Bhat had gone missing on Friday where students organized protests and urged the authorities to trace the teacher who belonged to Chundian village of Ganderbal district that is close to Srinagar. Bhat’s family had yesterday informed the university authorities about his disappearance. The vice-chancellor had also urged the DGP to trace the missing teacher.

Reports in the morning said that Bhat was among the terrorists holed up by the joint team of Army, CRPF and J-K Police. His family members, including his mother, wife and brother, were brought from Ganderbal to make an appeal over the loudspeaker to surrender. However, the repeated appeals fell in deaf ears and he did not respond.

A couple of Kashmiri students, including those pursuing engineering course and post-graduation, had in the recent past joined terrorist ranks, but it was for the first instance of a university teacher picking up the gun.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Sadly this is also an answer to those who claim jobs & development are the solution to the violence and  alienation in Kashmir. This is another tragic development in a steady stream of tragedies in Kashmir.”

About a dozen stone-pelters, who were among the mob that assembled at the encounter spot to disrupt the operation, were injured as the security forces fired teargas shells and pellets to chase them away.

A police spokesman said that the holed up terrorists fired heavily upon the search team of the security forces. Police made repeated attempts to make these terrorists to surrender. However, they did not respond to the appeals of their family members and headmen of the community. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot.