india

Updated: Oct 22, 2019 21:36 IST

At least three militants were killed on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district during a gunfight with the security forces, police said. Incriminating material including arms and ammunition was also recovered.

Officials said that the army, police and the CRPF launched a joint operation in the area after receiving specific information about the militant presence in Rajpora area of the district.

In the ensuing encounter, the three militants were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site. The identity and affiliation of the slain militants were yet to be ascertained, a police statement said.

“Three terrorists were killed, arms and ammunition recovered. Identities and affiliations being ascertained,” the police said in a tweet.

This was the second gunfight between militants and security forces in the south Kashmir area after the restoration of post-paid mobile phone services. Last week three Lashkar-e Taiba militants were killed in an encounter in Bijbehara.

Meanwhile, a junior commissioned officer of the army was killed on Tuesday in an unprovoked firing and shelling by the Pakistani Army along the Line of Control in Rajouri district, officials said. The soldier was manning a forward post in Kalal area of Nowshera sector.

A woman also suffered injuries after a shell fired by the Pakistani Army exploded in her house at Gohlad village in Balakote area of Poonch district, deputy commissioner Rahul Yadav said.

“Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by the intense firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in Balakote. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly and the exchanges stopped after some time,” defence spokesperson Lt Col Devender Anand said.

Meanwhile, officials said the army defused three live mortar shells fired by Pakistan troops along the Line of Control in Poonch district. With the safe defusal of the mortar shells by army engineers, a tragedy has been averted in Karmara village of the district.