Srinagar, Jun 07 (KNS): The onset of summer season this year has yet again repeated the bloodbath in Kashmir as the previous month (May) claimed the lives of 40 persons including 26 militants and 11 civilians.

The month witnessed many encounters and individual killings, leaving at least 40 persons dead. A top militant commander Zakir Musa who was founder and chief of Ansar Ghazwatul Hind and close aide of top commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani was also killed in previous month.

Besides militants, civilians including the workers of mainstream political parties were also among the 40 persons killed in the gunfight.

Out of 26 militants, 23 were killed in the gunfights that raged between forces and militants in southern Kashmir while three others were killed in northern Kashmir.

Reliable sources told Kashmir News Service (KNS) three forces personnel were also killed in the previous month (May).

On May 4, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) district vice president Anantnag Gul Muhammad Mir alias Atal was killed by the unidentified militants at Verinag while as PDP worker Muhammad Jamaal Bhat was killed by the unidentified gunmen.

Some of the locals were also killed during the encounters, sources added.

They said that killings in this year’s May month surpassed the previous years’ figure.

In May 2018, 39 persons including 19 militants, 14 civilians and six forces personnel were killed. Saddam Padder, a top militant commander was also among the 19 militants killed in the gunfights. Assistant Professor of Kashmir University was also killed along Saddam Padder in the gunfight at Badigam village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on May 06.

From last couple of years, the month of May as per the top officials according to Kashmir News Service (KNS) correspondent has always witnessed killings in Kashmir but this year it surpassed the previous records.

The killings in previous month were witnessed amid the holy month of Ramadhan. (KNS)