J-K: constable killed in gun battle between militants, security forces

A police constable was killed in an encounter which broke out between militants and security forces in north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Sunday, the police said.

Security forces cordoned off the Mir Mohalla village in Hajin area of the district in the morning following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

When the forces were conducting searches, the militants opened fire on them, triggering a gun battle, the official said. Jammu and Kashmir Police constable Zahir Abbas was killed in the gunbattle, the police official said.

The encounter was still going on when reports last came in, the official said, adding further details were awaited.