Officer, soldier killed in Kashmir gunfight

SRINAGAR - An army officer and a soldier died Wednesday after succumbing to injuries sustained in a gunfight between separatist guerrillas and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district, police said.

“A major and a soldier, both of whom had been injured in Tuesday’s encounter between militants and security forces in Chatibandi area of Bandipora district, succumbed to their injuries,” a senior police officer said here.

A raiding party of the army and the local police had been moved out to lay a cordon in Chatibandi village following specific information that a group of militants was hiding there.

“The raiding party came under heavy automatic gunfire from the militants as they were laying the cordon there. In the militant gunfire, a major and a soldier of the army were critically wounded. Both of them have succumbed to their injuries,” the police officer said.

Searches in the area are still being carried out although there has been no exchange of fire in the village since Wednesday morning.