1st Ld Writethru: Two militants, Indian military officer and policeman killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight

Two militants, an Indian military officer and a policeman were killed Tuesday in a fierce gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

A trooper was also wounded fighting militants during the stand- off.

The gunfight broke out at village Handura of Tral town, about 35 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir.

"Two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were killed in a gunfight today with joint contingents of Indian army and police," Tahir Salem, a senior police officer told media in Tral. "During the gunfight, two troopers including an officer and a policeman were wounded, but later on one army officer and a policeman succumbed to their wounds."

The gunfight, according to police, began after contingents cordoned off the area to take on militants.

"The operation to track down militants was carried out on an intelligence input suggesting presence of militants in the area," the officer said. "No sooner the militants were cordoned, they fired on the contingents, triggering a gunfight."

Gunfight between the militants and troops lasted for around two hours, reports said.

The region's governor has expressed grief over the killing of the military officer and policeman, and sympathized with their families, a government spokesman said.

Police officials claimed recovery of two assault rifles from the site. The slain militants, according to the police, were identified as local cadres of HM militant outfit. HM is the indigenous militant group fighting Indian rule in the region.

Militant groups are engaged in guerrilla war with Indian troops in the region since 1989. Endi