Jammu hostage crisis ends; all 3 militants killed

Chinnor, Jammu, Aug 28 (UNI) Security forces gunned down the third militant around midnight, ending the 19-hour-long hostage crisis here in the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

At least seven people were killed by the group of three militants, suspected to have infiltrated from Pakistan side after breaching the barbed fencing on the international border at Kanachak in Akhnoor sector on Tuesday.

''Operation was called off after all the three militants were killed around 0200 hrs today,'' Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami told UNI.

Seven of the ten hostages, including women and children, were rescued by the security forces, as the militants had killed three men, who were identified as Sandeep Singh, a local, Sepoy Shyam Murari of Territorial Army (TA) and Ashok Kumar, teacher, Lt Col Goswami disclosed.

A large number of arms and ammunition, including three AK 47 rifles and two Under Barrel Grenade Launchers, were recovered from the spot, the spokesman added.

Police were ascertaining the identity of the 'khakhi' clad militants, who are suspected to be of banned Lashker-e-Toiba outfit, an official source said.

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