Kashmir encounter: Two militants killed, soldier martyred

Srinagar, Apr 11 – Two militants were reportedly killed and a soldier was martyred in a fierce encounter since wee hours on Wednesday in south Kashmir district of Kulgam, where massive clashes erupted.
Two soldiers were also injured in the encounter.

The search operation was on when the reports last came in, they said, adding that bodies of militants have not been recovered so far from the debris of the house blasted during the operation.

However, a defence ministry spokesman said details about the encounter are being collected.
Meanwhile, authorities have suspended mobile internet service in Kulgam and Anantnag district as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours.

Sources told UNI that troops of Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and CRPF launched a joint search operation at Wani Mohalla, Khudwani Wanpoh in Kulgam district in the wee hours today. However, when the security forces were sealing the area, militants hiding there, opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons. Troops also retaliated resulting in a fierce encounter. Three security force personnel were injured, who have been admitted to the Army hospital, they said, adding that one of the injured soldiers succumbed.

According to sources, the security forces blasted the house from where the militants were firing on them, they said, adding that the firing has stopped. Now searches are being conducted to recover the bodies of militants, reportedly belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

A police spokesman on official twitter account of J&K police said, “Cordon and Search operation being carried out at Wani Mohalla #Khudwani, Wanpoh, District Kulgam turns into an encounter. Information is of preliminary nature. Details being collected.’

‘The operation was in progress’, he further tweeted. There was no update on police twitter for the past four hours about the encounter.