NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

5 militants, 5 civilians among 11 killed in J&K

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Five foreign militants were killed in a fierce gun battle with army in the upper reaches of Pathribal Panchathal in southern Anantnag district early this morning.

Soon after, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah announced in the assembly that the five militants in army combat dress who participated in the killing of 35 Sikhs at Chatti Singhpora were killed at Pathribal.

He said that troops blasted the house where the militants were hiding and described the operation as a major success. He said full details will be made available and placed in the House on Monday.

A senior police official said that troops were combing the upper reaches of Pathribal early today when militants in the area fired on them. The firing ended after for several hours and a search is in progress. So far, the bodies of five militants have been recovered. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered.

In another fierce encounter, one soldier of the Seventh Brigade, Mohammad Junaid, was killed and another was wounded in a gun battle at village Nowgam in Handwara.

Meanwhile, gunmen killed five Muslim villagers at Budhan Gool village in Udhampur district late last night. Police said the gunmen forced their entry into the house of the villagers and opened fire on them. Three women and two men died on the spot.

Three others, including a child, are reported injured and were rushed to hospital.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report