Army convoy attacked,2 jawans among 3 killed,5 hurt in Kashmir

Baramulla, June 15 (UNI) A soldier and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan were among three people killed and five others, three of them civilians, injured when militants attacked an Army convoy in the apple town of Sopore in this district of north Kashmir today, official sources said.

They said militants opened indiscriminate fire on a convoy of 29 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) near the Sopore Degree college on the Bandipora road today.

The Road Opening Party (ROP) and the Army personnel also retaliated and the fierce clash continued for some time.

A defence spokesman told UNI in Srinagar that one soldier was killed and two others injured in the militant attack.

He said troops exercised restraint to avoid civilian casualties, as a large number of people were present in the area.

The sources said a CRPF constable of 179 battalion, Nissar Ahmad, who was in a camp, received a bullet in the neck. He was rushed to a hospital where he died.

Four civilians -- Manzoor Ahmad Untoo, Mohammad Altaf Marazi, Abdul Rashid and Dr Zaffar -- were also injured in the firing.

The injured were shifted to a hospital where Untoo succumbed to his injuries, the sources said.

People in the area ran for safety and traffic on the Sopore- Baramulla road was suspended for several hours, due to the gunfight.

The entire area has been cordoned off and a massive search launched by security forces to nab the attackers.

UNI