Jawan, militant killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam

india

Updated: Nov 15, 2017 09:40 IST

An Army jawan and a militant were on Tuesday killed in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir even as security forces were engaged in a counter insurgency operation in Pulwama district.

One soldier was critically injured in the gunbattle with militants at Nowbug Kund in Kulgam district, Army sources said.

They said the injured soldier later succumbed to injuries.

A militant was also killed in the operation, the sources said.

Police officials said that the gun battle began in Laan Tral of Pulwama after security forces reached the area following a tip-off about the presence of militants.

“The police, army and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) are on the job,” said a police spokesperson.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowbug Kund area of Kulgam.

“The operation turned into an encounter. The police, army’s Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF are at the spot,” the spokesperson added.

The gunfights come just hours after two local militants were killed when they attacked a police checkpoint in north Kashmir’s Handwara on Monday night.

An army soldier and three militants were killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on November 6, a day when Centre’s interlocutor, Dineshwar Sharma, arrived in the restive state to initiate the dialogue process.

Sharma, a former chief of the Intelligence Bureau who was tasked by the Union government to initiate talks in Kashmir over the three-decade-old insurgency, met over 80 delegations on his three-day visit to Kashmir from November 6. However, Hurriyat leaders did not meet him nor did he visit any separatist leader.

(with PTI inputs)