Major, two jawans injured in encounter in Poonch

Jammu, July 16 (ANI): An Army major and two jawans were injured in a gunbattle with militants in Poonch district as the operation against the ultras entered its fourth day on Friday.

According to sources, troops of the 37 Rashtriya Rifles were conducting the operation when militants perched on mountain tops fired at them.

The injured have been identified as Major G S Shekhawat, Naik Narendra Kumar and Sepoy Bhanu Pratap.

The operation was still in progress when reports last came in.

The anti-terrorist operation was launched by the Army's 37 Rashtriya Rifle (RR) troops on the basis of inputs about infiltration of a group of 10 to 12 militants in the Mankote forest belt area on July 13.

During the operation, an Army major was killed and six other security men, including a colonel, injured.

Colonel Ajay Katoch receive a bullet injury to his neck, while Major Amit Phunge took the brunt of heavy firing by the militants and died on the spot.

The injured included Dinesh Kumar and Satinder Kumar, both Signalmen, Naik Jasbir Singh, Sepoy Samir Kumar and Rifleman Dasharat. (ANI)