Two militants, one civilian killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, June 24 (IANS) Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed while another surrendered in a gunfight on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district where a civilian was killed and 10 others injured in subsequent street protests.

Police said two LeT militants, including a top commander, were killed while another one surrendered in Chaddar Motelhama in Qaimoh area.

As the gunfight progressed, civilians poured out of their homes and clashed with the security force in a bid to disrupt the operation, police said.

A civilian, identified as Yawar Ahmad Dar, 27, sustained a gunshot injury in the violence. He was shifted to hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Ten other protesters also sustained injuries in these clashes, the sources said.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said here that the terrorists were killed in a joint operation by the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police.

Police said the militants fired at a road clearing party of security forces in Chaddar Motelhama in Qaimoh area.

The security forces were carrying out a highway clearance operation for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra when they were fired at by the hiding militants, triggering the encounter, a police officer said.