J&K encounter: 2 militants, civilian killed in Shopian

Two militants and a civilian were killed and 21 others, including a jawan, injured in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district where an encounter took place between terrorists and security forces, police said. The bodies of the militants were recovered from the encounter site at Kundullan village in the district, a police spokesperson said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the village early this morning following information about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire on the security forces, who retaliated. The official said a jawan was injured in the exchange of fire with the militants. Some people had assembled near the encounter site and indulged in stone-pelting on security forces, who were engaged in an anti-militancy operation, he said.

Tamsheel Ahmad Khan of Vehil in Shopian died after suffering head injuries during the clashes, another official said. Twenty others were injured, of which eight were referred to hospitals here for specialized treatment, he said. Security forces had to take action to chase away the protestors, the official said.