Security forces in Warpora area of Sopore, where two police personnel were injured in a grenade attack on Thursday. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi) Security forces in Warpora area of Sopore, where two police personnel were injured in a grenade attack on Thursday. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

Two separate encounters broke out between militants and security forces in Baramulla and Bandipora districts of North Kashmir on Thursday. Police said that two civilians were held hostage by militants during the encounter in Hajin area of Bandipora. While one was rescued, the other, a minor, was yet to be rescued.

“Two civilians held hostage by terrorists. With the assistance of security forces, police & community members, one civilian has been rescued safely while efforts are on to rescue another civilian, reportedly a minor, kept as hostage by terrorists,” the Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted.

Intermittent firing is going on and civilians are being evacuated,” a CRPF spokesperson said.

Read | Third encounter in the last 24 hours in valley

In Baramulla, police said the encounter broke out in Kalantara area. A senior police officer said that during a cordon-and-search operation in Kalantara on Wednesday evening, suspected militants fired at the security personnel. On Thursday morning, while the search operation was going on, there was exchange of gunfire again.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Sopore town of Baramulla district, two police personnel were injured in a grenade attack. “Terrorists today at about 1020 hours lobbed a grenade on a police party in Warpora area of Sopore. In this incident, SHO Dangiwacha Shri Muddasir Ahmad and his escort personnel received injuries. Both the injured have been shifted to hospital for medical attention,” the J&K Police said in a statement. The area where the grenade was lobbed is “part of the encounter site where security forces have laid a cordon.

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