Kulgam encounter: 3 civilians, one militant dead, one soldier martyred

Srinagar: A soldier was martyred while three civilians and one militant have been reportedly dead in a fierce encounter going on since we hours on Wednesday with militants, holed up in a house, in the south Kashmir district of Kulgam. The encounter was continuing between militants, reportedly belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and security forces when the reports last came in. A defense ministry spokesman said details about the encounter are being collected.

Meanwhile, authorities have suspended mobile internet service in Kulgam and Anantnag district as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of rumours.Sources told UNI that troops of Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and CRPF launched a joint search operation at Wani Mohalla, Khudwani Wanpoh in Kulgam district in the wee hours today. However, when the security forces were sealing the area, militants hiding there, opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons. Troops also retaliated resulting in fierce encounter. Three security force personnel were injured, who have been admitted to Army hospital, they said. One of the injured soldiers has succumbed, sources said.

Earlier, sources said that two to three militants were holed up in the area.Additional security forces were immediately rushed and cordon around the area was further tightened to prevent militants escaping.Two to three militants of LeT are reportedly trapped there.A police spokesman on official twitter account of J&K police said, “Cordon and search operation being carried out at Wani Mohalla #Khudwani, Wanpoh, District Kulgam turns into an encounter. Information is of preliminary nature. Details being collected'.The operation was in progress, he further tweeted. There was no update on police twitter for the past two hours. (UNI)