Major Kamlesh Pandey and jawan Tanzin Chhultim. Image credit: Army

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 3

An Army Major and a jawan were killed while two others were injured in an overnight gunfight in south Kashmir’s volatile Shopian district, the police said.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The militants attacked an Army patrol at Zadipora  Shopian, some 55 kms from Srinagar when joint teams of  forces were laying a cordon in the area at around 2 am following an input about militant presence.”Four Army men, including a Major, were injured in the attack. The injured Army men were shifted to 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar, where the officer and another jawan succumbed to injuries. The condition of the other injured is also stated to be critical,” sources said.SP Shopian, A S Dinkar, confirmed two Army fatalities.Soon after the attack, forces launched an operation in the area. The anti-militancy operation is still underway in the village bordering Shopian and Kulgam. However, sources said the militants managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness.Meanwhile, two militants were killed in an overnight gunfight at Gopalpora Kulgam, over 75 km from Srinagar.Police sources said that the gunfight broke when militants were challenged by joint teams of forces when they were moving in area.”The militant opened fire triggering a gunfight which ended with the killing of two militants,” sources said, adding two AK 47 rifles were also recovered from the encounter site.A police spokesman in Srinagar said that one of the slain militant was involved in killing of five policemen and guards of bank van at Pambay Kulgam in May.