One policeman and two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a 20-hour-long encounter in south Kashmir’s Tral area, which began at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Three soldiers, including a Major, were injured.
After a night-long exchange of fire, the security forces on Sunday used improvised explosive devices to blow up the house, where the militants were hiding, in Nazneenpora village.
“We killed two militant commanders in the encounter without any collateral damage. We will continue operations [against militants] but will ensure that no civilian is hurt,” J&K Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid said.
One slain militant was identified as Hizb commander Aqib Molvi, a resident of Tral’s Hayuna. “Another was a foreign militant,” said Mr. Vaid. He was identified as Saifullah alias Usama alias Hamaad.
One member of the police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), Manzoor Ahmad Naik, was also killed in the initial assault.
As the encounter was on, clashes erupted in parts of Tral. Hospital sources said over one dozen civilians, including four hit by pellets, were injured in the clashes.
Three children injured
A mysterious blast left three children injured in north Kashmir’s Sopore on Sunday. Superintendent of Police (SP), Sopore, Harmeet Singh, said the children were injured near a hillock at Pazalpora, Sopore, Baramulla district.
Locals said they had stepped on some explosives. “A forensic science laboratory team visited the spot. We will try to identify the composition of the blast material,” said Mr. Singh.
The injured children were identified as Saahil Rashid Lone, Aakash Reyaz Bhat and Shakir Hussain Dar. Rashid was shifted to a Srinagar hospital for specialised treatment.
ASI dies in accident
A policeman died and four were injured when their patrol vehicle skidded off the road in restive Shopian in south Kahsmir.
The deceased was identified as assistant sub-inspector Nazir Ahmad. The vehicle fell into a low-lying area near Imam-Sahib village.
