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16 killed in Kashmir

Unidentified militants have killed nine persons, reportedly relatives of counter-insurgents, in the south Kashmir district of Anantnag since Tuesday evening.

Elsewhere in the state, a police constable and four militants were among the seven killed in the last 24 hours.

Security forces captured four militants and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition across the valley during the period.

An official spokesman said unidentified militants entered the houses of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad, Ghulam Hassan Matoo, Mohammad Shafi Mattoo, Mohammad Ramzan, Imitiyaz Ahmad Bhat, Ghulam Nabi Matoo and Abdul Hamid Matoo, at Koimoh, Bichroo and Gudbbal villages, and shot them.

Senior district authorities have rushed to the villages to take stock of the situation, the spokesman said.

Official sources said the body of another person, Gulzar Ahmad Laloo, was recovered from Redwani in the same district Wednesday afternoon.

In Anantnag, about 40 relatives of militants, unidentified gunmen have killed Jamat-e-islami workers and counter-insurgents in the past two months.

The spokesman said security forces killed two militants during an encounter at Kunthal Tuesday evening. An AK-56 rifle, a pistol, three magazines, 29 rounds and one grenade were recovered from them.

He said militants fired upon a security force patrol at Gulata village with automatic weapons. In the ensuing shootout, a constable and a woman were killed.

In an encounter between militants and the Jammu and Kashmir Special Operation Group at Palpora Pattan in Baramulla district Tuesday evening, two militants were killed and one police personnel, Mukhtar Ahmad, injured.

He said militants shot dead one Mudassir Nisar Dhobi at Zaindar Mohalla in downtown Srinagar Tuesday evening. Dhobi was a rickshaw driver.

He said forces captured four militants and recovered two AK-56 rifles, a pistol, 10 grenades, a revolver, eight magazines and more than 200 rounds in the Kashmir valley during overnight operations.

UNI

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