Lt Colonel, 2 militants among 4 killed in Kashmir encounter

Srinagar, June 30 (UNI) A top Army official, two militants and another person were killed in a more than five-hour-long fierce encounter in Bandipora area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district today, a Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said.

A BSF personnel was also wounded in the gun-battle, he added.

An Army press release said 15 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Lt Colonel V R Chauhan and three militants were killed in the encounter. Two AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, 15 rounds, one pistol with a magazine and two rounds were recovered from the encounter site, it added.

Giving complete details, the BSF spokesman said on specific information of the BSF's intelligence wing, troops of 15 RR and the personnel of BSF's 90 battalion carried a joint operation at Nowpora market in Bandipora town at 0830 hrs this morning.

He said the security forces cordoned off a residence-cum-mini shopping complex belonging to Saifuddin Shah at Nowpora market on the information that some Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants, including Chota Qasim, were hiding in the first floor of the three-storey building.

As the security forces stormed the house, he said the militants hiding inside fired upon them.

In the first burst of fire by the militants, 15 RR Lt Colonel V R Chauhan was hit by the bullets resulting in his on-the-spot death, the spokesman said.

A BSF jawan, constable P Swamy, of 90 Battalion was also wounded in the more than five-hour-long encounter, he added.

The spokesman said the house was also damaged due to firing and grenade blasts.

He said three bodies -- two of the LeT militants and one of an unknown person -- were later recovered from the encounter site.

Two AK-47 rifles and a pistol were also recovered from the spot, the spokesman said, adding the operation was called off at 1330 hrs this afternoon.

However, sources said two civilians, one militant and a top Army official were killed in the gunfight.

They identified the civilians as Abid Hussain Shah, son of the house owner and who also owned a shop in the same building, and his salesman Manzoor.

The sources said the third person killed was yet to be identified and believed to be a militant.

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