Srinagar: Three militants were killed in an ongoing encounter in Melhoora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
An Army soldier was injured in the encounter. Two civilians, including a woman, were also wounded near the encounter site.
Srinagar-based defence spokesman Rajesh Kalia said that three militants have been killed in Melhoora gunfight.
“One more militant has been killed. Total of three militants have been killed in the gunfight. The joint operation in progress,” he said.
Reports said that a soldier suffered bullet wounds in the operation.
Two civilians sustained injures near the site. Among them, a woman Shahnaza Bano wife of Farooq Ahmad Koka was hit with a bullet. She was shifted to a nearby hospital from where she was referred to SMHS hospital Srinagar.
Another civilian Asif Ahmad Reshi son of Nissar Reshi of Watchi according to reports suffered pellet wounds after police and paramilitary forces chased a group of youth near the encounter site. All the injured have been shifted to different hospitals.
Earlier, a joint team of SOG and Army’s 55 RR laid a siege in Melhora village.
A police officer said that the operation was launched following specific inputs about the presence of some militants.
The joint team of forces while intensifying the searches fired several warning shots towards the suspected spot, the militants hiding in the area opened indiscriminate fire triggering off a fierce gunfight, he said.
The officer said that the operation may stretch throughout the night even as lights have been already erected and exit points sealed with additional reinforcements. (GNS inputs)
