Four Hizb militants among five killed in J

Srinagar, Oct 15 (UNI) Four Hizbul Mujahideen militants and a policeman were killed in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 24 hours, an official spokesman said today.

Elsewhere in the state, troops unearthed a hideout near the Line of Control (LoC) and seized huge cache of arms and ammunition while a senior Congress leader escaped unhurt in a militant attack overnight.

Giving details, the spokesman said militants fired upon a patrol party of the Kothi Bagh police station from point blank near the Tyndale Biscoe School at the Lal Chowk, the commercial centre of the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, at around 1245 hrs today.

Two police constables were wounded in the shoot-out and immediately rushed to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura here.

While constable Ghulam Mohiuddin, a resident of Chandoosa in Baramulla district, later succumbed to wounds, constable Ghulam Hassan was battling life at the multi-speciality hospital, he added.

The spokesman said the service weapon of Mr Hassan was missing and believed to have been taken away by the militants.

The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit later claimed the responsibility for the attack.

He said two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a gun-battle with security forces and the police at Senzen village of Pulwama district of south Kashmir last night.

Two AK rifles, four magazines, one under barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs), two UBGL grenades and 47 AK rounds were seized from the slain militants who have been identified as Tausif Ahmed Bhat and Gowhar Ahmed Ganai.

Security forces killed a Hizb militant, Mohammad Hafiz Kulas alias Hafiz Khalid alias Kala, in an encounter at Donari forests in Kellar area of Pulwama district today, the spokesman said.

An AK rifle, one magazine and one wireless set were seized from his possession, he said, adding one 'kotha (hutment)', where the militant had taken shelter, was also damaged in the gunfight.

Another Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Abdul Majid Mir, was killed by security forces in a gun-battle at Bona Mathandoo in Kokernag area of Anantnag district this afternoon.

Two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, four UBGL launchers with two grenades and some AK 47 rounds of ammunition were seized from him.

Militants opened fire on the heavily-guarded house of Congress block president Mohammad Maqbool Bhat at Lajoora village in Pulwama district last night. His security guards retaliated, but no one was wounded in the gunfight. Mr Bhat was present in the house at the time of the attack.

Troops of 20 B, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry unearthed a militant hideout at Gajnar forest near the LoC in the Machil sector of frontier Kashmir's Kupwara district this morning.

A general purpose machine gun (pika) with an additional stand, four drum magazines, 400 rounds, an AK 56 rifle, five magazines, 700 rounds and a sleeping bag were seized from the hideout.

The spokesman said two Hizb militants surrendered before security forces in Mohaore area of Udhampur district of Jammu region last evening. They handed over one AK rifle, two magazines, 42 rounds and two grenades to the forces.

UNI AG VD HT2120