2 militant killed, 4 Defence Committee members abducted in J

Srinagar, Oct 14 (UNI) Two militants were killed and three people wounded while four Village Defence Committee (VDC) members were abducted by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

Security forces arrested three militants and also seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including deadly RDX and grenades in the state during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said today.

He said the army troops and state police launched a joint operation at Senzen village in South Kashmir's Pulwama district today after receiving an information that militants were hiding there.

However, when the security forces started sealing exit points, militants opened fire and in the retaliatory fire two militants were killed.

Two AK rifles, one UBGL and six magazines were seized from the slain militants.

The spokesman said militants attacked a security force patrol party with automatic weapons and grenades at Nadihal, Bandipora, in north Kashmir district of Baramulla today.

Security forces returned the fire and in the gunbattle three civilians identified as Abdul Aziz, Showkat Ahmad and Bilal Ahmad were injured. They were later hospitalised.

Sources said security forces later conducted searches in the area.

However, the militants had managed to escape.

Militants abducted four VDC members --- Ghulam Mohammad, Ghulam Hassan, Ram Lal and Shadi Lal--- along with their weapons at Duthan Gurather, about 55 kms from Doda district late last night.

A massive hunt has been launched by the security forces and army to trace the kidnapped VDC members, the spokesman said.

Security forces apprehended two militants of Lashker-e-Toiba at Sagipora Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district last evening during a search operation and seized four UBGL grenades, one pistol, one magazine, three hand grenades, two rounds and fake currency of Rs 500 from them.

Another militant was arrested by the security forces from Indergam Pattan in the same district, he said, adding two kg of deadly RDX, two hand grenades, ten rounds, one antenna and two time devices were seized from him.

Militants attacked a police party at Ashmar area in Gool area of Udhampur district, the fire was returned by the security forces.

However, no harm was caused during the clash.

Later security forces recovered an AK rifle, one magazine and 20 rounds from the area.

UNI BAS FMH YA BST2040