Soldier, two militants killed in Kashmir gunfight

JAMMU - An Indian Army soldier and two militants were killed and a major critically injured in an ongoing gun battle in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday evening.

The gunfight in Thana Mandi area of the district, 180 km north of Jammu, was still on at 9.30 p.m., police said.

An army team led by Major S.K. Mahapatra traced a group of militants in the forested area and in the ensuing gunfight between the two sides, Mahapatra was injured and and a soldier killed.

“Two militants were killed in the encounter. Despite the darkness having set in, police personnel and army soldiers were still fighting the militants hiding in dense forests,” a police official said.

The police suspect that the militants belong to Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The gunfight is taking place close to the area where terrorists had fired at a convoy of the army and a civilian bus Wednesday last. Two passengers were killed and 17 others were injured in that incident.