2 soldiers, 4 ultras killed in Kashmir

Four militants, two soldiers and a civilian were killed in a gun battle in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday.

Another civilian was killed while nearly 20 were injured during clashes between protesters and security forces following the Kulgam encounter.

Sources said based on specific intelligence about the presence of six to seven local militants in Frisal village of Kulgam, a joint operation was launched by the army and Jammu and Kashmir Police.

“As the security forces neared the house where the militants were hiding, they came under heavy fire, in which four army personnel and a policeman were injured. In retaliatory action, four militants hiding in a concrete house were killed,” a source said. Two of the injured soldiers succumbed while being shifted to hospital.

DGP Shesh Pal Vaid confirmed that seven people were killed in the operation in Frisal. He identified the slain civilian as Adil Reshi, son of the owner of the house where the militants were hiding. However, it was not clear how Reshi was killed.

Police said all the bodies have been retrieved and four AK-series rifles, besides other arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the encounter site. Sources told DH that three militants managed to escape.

The slain troopers have been identified as Lance Naiks Raghubeer Singh and Gopal Singh.