Militants manage to escape after brief encounter in Kulgam

Srinagar: Militants have managed to escape after a brief encounter with security forces during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir district of Kulgam, a police spokesman said on Saturday.He said sniffer dogs are now being used to trace down the  militants.

On a tip off  about the presence of militants at Nandimarg in Kulgam,  troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu  and Kashmir police and Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) launched a  joint CASO late on Friday night, the spokesperson said.However, when the security forces were  sealing the area, militants hiding there opened indiscriminate fire  with automatic weapons, he said adding security forces retaliated  and exchange of fire continued for some time.

Later during the search, security forces recovered some arms  and ammunition, including a PIKA LMG and material for making Improvised  Explosive Device (IED) from the house of one Aslam.

The spokesman said  now sniffer dogs were being used for trace down the militants. So  far no fresh contact has been established, he said and added that additional  security forces from other sides have also joined the operation.(UNI)