Ist Ld Writethru: 3 Indian military troopers, militant killed on Kashmir LoC

t Ld Writethru: 3 Indian military troopers, militant killed on Kashmir LoC

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 25 (Xinhua) - - Three Indian military troopers and a militant were killed, while as a trooper wounded Monday in a fierce gunfight on Line-of Control ( LoC), dividing Kashmir, officials said.The gunfight according to Indian military broke out in Tanghdar sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 152 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir."A patrol party on LoC in Tangdhar intercepted an infiltrating group of militants and in the heavy exchange of fire that followed, the infiltrating group was beaten back leaving behind a dead among them," Col N N Joshi, a Srinagar based military spokesman Col. N N Joshi said. "During the gunfight four military personnel suffered wounds, of which three succumbed and one is out of danger."LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.According to Joshi, the militants were trying to infiltrate into Indian- controlled Kashmir.A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.Officials said they have recovered an assault rifle and a pistol near body of the militant. Reports said operation was in progress until late evening.New Delhi blames Islamabad for infiltrating militants into Indian- controlled Kashmir. However, Islamabad denies the charge saying it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.In a separate gunfight an Indian military trooper and a militant commander were killed in the afternoon at village Kanjkula- Yaripora in Kulgam district.Earlier during the day militants killed an employee and wounded two others in an attack on a franchise office of state owned cellular phone company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) at Sopore town.The militants had directed the cellular phone companies to wind up their operations in the area and dismantle mobile transmission towers.The attacks come day after Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar reviewed security situation of the restive region during his two-day visit. Endit