JCO among 3 killed by militants, 3 soldiers wounded in Jammu

Jammu, Aug 27 (UNI) A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of army and two civilians were killed and five people, including three soldiers, wounded in an encounter with militants who sneaked into city outskirts early today, official spokesman said today.

A group of three militants in ''khakhi'' hijacked an auto-rickshaw in the thickly populated Chinnor locality of Jammu, sources said.

''They fired indiscriminately on a check post at around 0545 hrs, wounding a JCO, who succumbed later,'' sources added.

On their way from Kanachak area to Chinnor locality near city, militants killed an auto-rickshaw driver Vijay Kumar and Nasib Singh.

One motorcyclist Joginder Kumar was critical while several other civilians were wounded in the militants' strike.

''A JCO was killed and three jawans wounded in militants' strike on their way from Jammu,'' Defence spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami told UNI.

Senior army and police officers have reached the spot, where intermittent firing was continuing from different spots.

Sources said militants have taken hostage some family members, including a woman and children in a house.

Meanwhile, Jammu has been put on high alert.

Some militants have breached the fencing at the border at Kanachak area yesterday.

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