3 civilians, 3 militants killed in Kashmir

Seven persons, including three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, three civilians and a policeman were killed in militancy-related incidents in Kashmir on Saturday.

The police said the militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Chattabal area of old city Srinagar.

Three paramilitary men were also injured in the gun battle, which erupted after a Special Operations Group of the state police and the CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Chattabal.

"As the security forces tightened the cordon, the holed-up militants fired at them triggering the gunfight," a police official said and added three CRPF personnel were injured in the initial exchange of firing.

"The three militants seem to be foreigners but we are yet to ascertain their identities," he said.

Reports said that soon after the encounter, the militants took to the streets and clashed with the police and CRPF personnel. A civilian was killed at Noorbagh after a police vehicle reportedly ran over him during clashes near Cement Kadal in Safa Kadal, the area adjoining the site of encounter.

Mobile and internet services have been suspended in Srinagar.

Meanwhile, militants shot a police officer dead near a filling station in south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Earlier, unidentified militants had shot dead two men in Hajin in northern Bandipora district.

The police said the militants abducted 45-year-old Ghulam Hassan Dar and his 26-year-old nephew Bashir Dar after barging into their houses at Gulshan Mohalla of Hajin during the intervening night of May 4 and 5.

"At about 3.30 am today (Saturday) the terrorists shot both of them dead," a police spokesperson said.

He said the bullet-riddled bodies of the victims were found by locals near a masjid in the area.

Violence has witnessed a spurt in the valley as the Civil Secretariat is scheduled to reopen in Srinagar on Monday after its closure in Jammu for the summer as part of the bi-annual 'Durbar Move' practice.