J&K: Soldier killed in encounter with militants

A soldier was killed in a brief gunfight with militants in Kralgund area of north Kashmir's Kupwara district while unidentified ultras shot dead a woman in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Friday.

A police officer said the Army's 32-Rashtriya Rifles launched a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) at Kachlu village during the wee hours of Friday following specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

As the cordon was being tightened, the hiding militants opened fire triggering a gunfight in which an army soldier suffered critical bullet wounds, he said. The injured soldier was shifted to a nearby military hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Sources said the militants managed to escape from the encounter site after the shootout.

In a separate incident, militants shot dead a woman in Drubgam village of Pulwama district on Friday afternoon. Sources said the woman identified as Shameema, a resident of Koil, Pulwama was shot dead by the militants at her father’s residence in Drubgam.

They said Shameema was earlier suspected to be involved in the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant Sameer Tiger in May this year.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out in Hajin area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Friday morning soon after security forces launched a CASO in the area.

Reports said that a joint team of the army's 13-RR, police and paramilitary CRPF launched a cordon at Mir Mohalla area of Hajin, 32 km from Srinagar, following specific inputs about the presence of some militants.

A police official said some gunshots were fired by militants soon after the siege was laid in the area. Additional reinforcements of the army were rushed to the site and the entire area has been cordoned off to trace out the militants hiding in the area.

As news about the cordon spread, locals took to the streets and pelted the forces with stones, reports said. Police and paramilitary forces used tear gas to disperse the crowds.