Five militants of Jaish-e Mohammad outfit were killed in an encounter with security forces in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday. Three soldiers have been wounded in the gunbattle.
Official sources said that a gunfight broke out at Chack Drugmulla near Hatmulla area in the morning after the joint team of Rashtriya Rifles and police cordoned off area. The militants were hiding in a private house.
When the cordon was tightened, a heavy exchange of fire took place.
The gunfight continued throughout the day. Superintendent of police Aijaz Ahmad Bhat said that five militants were killed in the gunfight. The bodies were retrieved from the encoubter site. The militants were wearing combat dresses.
Sources said that three soldiers of Rashtriya Rifles also sustained injuries in the incident and were immediately shifted to military hospital Drugmulla where from they have been referred to army’s 92 base hospital in Srinagar for specialized treatment.
Among three injured soldiers, two have been identified as Pandu Rang
Mahadev of 41 RR and Atul Kumar of 47 RR.
Police said the slain militants are suspected Jaish cadres.
The encounter raged on a day when normal life was affected in Kashmir in response to a shutdown call by separatists to commemorate the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Gani lone. The two leaders were killed by suspected militants on this day in 1990 and 2001 respectively.