Two militants killed, major tragedy averted in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 14 (UNI) Troops gunned down two militants in an encounter at Bandipora in north Kashmir today, a police spokesman said.

He said troops of 14 and 57 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched a search operation at Mava forest in Bandipora early this morning following a tip-off about the presence of militants there.

As the troops were sealing the forest area, militants hiding there opened fire. The fire was returned and in the three-hour-long gunbattle, two militants Latief Ahmad Khan alias Saifullah and Ghulam Mohammad Khan were killed.

Two AK rifles, three magazines, two pouches and 90 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Militants fired upon a police party at Mohalla Telian, Chinkipora, Sopore. Police returned the FIRE and in the shootout, one Aijaz Ahmed Mir received bullet injury in his leg. He was later hospitalised, he said adding militants managed to escape.

A joint patrol party of state police and 49 RR averted a major tragedy when they detected and defused a live hand grenade on Ujjar-Hillar road near Doru, 25 metres away from the Srinagar- Jammu national highway.

UNI