One villager was murdered and 14 others were beaten up by militants in Neoch village, Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir [Images] on Wednesday night. The militants also cut the tongues, ears and noses of two other persons.

• Militants kill 22 in remote Jammu village

A senior police officer told rediff.com that militants slit the throat of one villager identified as 60-year-old Abdul Ahad.

He said a group of heavily armed militants dragged 15 men from their homes and took them into the deep of the forest on Wednesday night where they slit the throat of Ahad and ruthlessly beat up 14 villagers, six of whom received critical injuries.

The militants cut the tongues, ears and noses of two villagers.

Their condition is stated to be critical. Police said the militants suspected the villagers of being security force informers.

Before fleeing, the militants also set ablaze the summer hutments of the villagers in Neoch village near Mahore.