Five civilians killed in gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district

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Five civilians were killed on Sunday in clashes with security forces after five militants were killed in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Police sources said a protesting civilian, Adil Ahmad, injured during the clashes was declared dead on arrival by doctors at the Kulgam district hospital. Reports from the area said Adil was injured in Behibagh village in Kulgam district.

Three other civilians, Sajad Ahmad of Dooru in Anantnag district, Zubair Ahmad of Pulwama and Yasir Ahmad of Shopian, also succumbed to their injuries. Earlier, Asif Ahmad of Rohmou village of Pulwama died in a Srinagar hospital due to injuries suffered in the clashes.

Over a dozen civilians were injured in the clashes between the protesters and the security forces.

A mob torched two fire tenders during the protests.

Five militants, including Hizbul commander Saddam Paddar, Kashmir University assistant professor Muhammad Rafi Bhat, Tawseef Sheikh, Molvi Bilal and Adil Ahmad, were killed in the Shopian gunfight.

The slain professor belonged to Chunduna village of Ganderbal district. Authorities have suspended classes in the Kashmir University on Monday and Tuesday.

Authorities have handed over the professor's body to his family for burial in his Chunduna village in Ganderbal district.

After the professor's death, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "Sadly this is also an answer to those who claim jobs and development are the solution to the violence and alienation in Kashmir.

"This is another tragic development in a steady stream of tragedies in Kashmir," he said.

Mobile Internet services in south Kashmir and in Ganderbal district have been suspended to prevent the spread of rumours.

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