Srinagar: Army has asked people in Lolab valley of the frontier Kupwara district to refrain from visiting the forests for the next three days in view of the ongoing coming operations in the backdrop of the killing of seven alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba militants.

Official sources told GNS that the army in Dewar, Dardpora and its adjoining areas of Lolab Valley called Sarpanches and asked them to inform the locals not to go the jungles for hunting or collection of firewood.

“Army first summoned Sarpanches and later on, the Sarpanches informed Muezzins of mosques in the area who announced the army orders over loudspeakers,” sources said.

Pertinently, anti-India, pro-freedom protests broke out on Tuesday, a day after army claimed to have killed seven alleged militants in Lolab forests. The rumours of the slain being hunters brought further infuriated the locals, who attacked the police station Lalpora in a bid to have a glimpse of the slain men.

However, army and police in a joint press statement had reiterated their claim that all the slain were foreign militants associated with Lashkar –e-Toiba. (GNS)