Tral Encounter: One Policeman, Two Militants Killed in Kashmir

Police constable Manzoor Ahmed lost his life on Sunday morning in the ongoing gunfight with suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Tral, Jammu and Kashmir. Two militants have been killed as well, reportedly ending the exchange of fire.

One of the slain terrorists is a top Hizbul commander and the other a Pakistani national, reports ANI. The encounter also injured three security personnel, including an Indian Army major. Combing operations are underway.

The encounter between security forces and four to five militants, who were holed up in a house in Tral in South Kashmir, started on Saturday.

One of the militants was killed on Saturday in the ensuing gunfight. The area was cordoned off and search operations began in the evening.

Officials sources said special forces from the army were deployed to carry out a combing operation in the area. Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, who replaced Burhan Wani, as the militant outfits operational chief in Kashmir, was also reportedly trapped in the gunfight.

The gunfight broke out late this evening after security forces cordoned off the house.

Curfew has been clamped in this area, 10 km from Tral, as protesters had gathered near the encounter site. A CRPF jawan's rifle was snatched by them, they said.

Half of the house was brought down by the security forces but militants were still firing on them.

Slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani belonged to this area.

(With inputs from ANI)