Two militants, villager killed in Kashmir gunfight

Srigar, June 22: Security forces on Monday shot dead two separatist guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir in a gunfight that also left a villager dead, police said. The army said two soldiers were injured, though their condition was stable. A civilian was also injured. “Two militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba group were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Redwani Balla village of Kulgam district today (Monday),” a police officer told IANS here. An army spokesperson in Delhi said the operation started at 7:50 p.m. on Sunday after an exchange of fire with the terrorists. “A cordon was thrown around the area and search commenced on Monday morning,” the spokesperson said. Police identified the slain militants - both locals - as Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Idrees Ahmad Negroo, while the dead civilian was identified as Asif Ahmad Tantray. Another civilian sustained injuries, the officer said. An army spokesperson in Delhi said Ahmad belonged to the LeT. “The operation was called off after a thorough search and bodies of terrorists were handed over to the police,” the army spokesperson said. Reports said the slain civilian was among the protestors who gathered at the gun battle site soon after the news in this regard spread in the area. Counter-insurgency Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Special Operations Group of police on Sunday evening surrounded a house in Redwani Balla village following information that a group of guerrillas was hiding there. As the security forces marked off the house, guerrillas hiding there opened fire, triggering a gunfight that ended on Monday. (IANS)