Police personnel pay tribute to Constable Lateef Gojri at a wreath laying ceremony in Tral, Kashmir, on Tuesday. (PTI Photo) Police personnel pay tribute to Constable Lateef Gojri at a wreath laying ceremony in Tral, Kashmir, on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

Four militants and two security personnel were killed in an encounter in the forests of Lam, in south Kashmir’s Tral area, on Tuesday morning.

Locals said two of the slain militants could be foreigners.

In the morning, Army and J&K Police Special Operation Group personnel launched an operation in the dense forests of Lam Tral, around 15 km from Tral town. As the forces were busy in the operation, militants opened fire and left two personnel injured. Both succumbed in hospital later — they were identified as Sepoy Ajay Kumar and Constable Lateef Gojri.

In the encounter that ensued, which went on for nearly three hours, four militants were gunned down. Of the two local militants killed, one was said to be relative of a top commander who was killed in an encounter earlier.

Stating that the militants were affiliated to the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Director General of Police S P Vaid said three militants were killed initially in the joint operation. “Later, during searches, one more terrorist was killed,” he said.

As news of the encounter spread, protests were reported from some parts of Tral; the police swung into action and turned away the protestors.

Late Tuesday evening, the police said search operation was still on, and there could be more militants hiding in the area.

The encounter site is hemmed by dense forests, and local and foreign militants use the area for hiding. Operations have been carried out in the area earlier, too.

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