Srinagar, September 1

A soldier and three unidentified militants were killed in a gunfight in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, officials said.

The gunfight took place at the Chandaji forest area, some 70 km from Srinagar, on the third day after the anti-militancy operation was launched.

Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said three militants were killed in the encounter.“Three terrorists were killed in the operation. Weapons and other war-like stores were recovered,” the spokesman said.

He said the operation was over.

Defence sources said a soldier was also killed in the gunfight.

The identity of the slain soldier and militants could not be established immediately.

Sources said they suspect the slain militants were fresh infiltrators who were heading towards the Kashmir hinterland.

The anti-militancy operation in the forest area was launched on Thursday after an input about the presence of militants. There was a brief contact between militants and forces on Friday also.

This week security forces killed at least seven militants in three different operations. On Thursday, two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba militants were killed at Hajin in Bandipora district. A day earlier four policemen were killed in a militant attack in south Kashmir’s Shopian.

Rasheed welcomes release of cops’ relatives

Srinagar:  Welcoming the release of abducted relatives of policemen by militants, MLA  and Awami Ittehad Party leader Engineer Rasheed has said Kashmiris cannot afford infighting under any circumstances. “

It is encouraging that at least good sense has prevailed on both the sides and relatives of the militants and policemen have been released unharmed,” he said in a statement. TNS