Indian military officer, 2 militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight

A junior-level officer of Indian military and two militants were killed in a gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Tuesday.

The gunfight broke out Monday evening when joint contingents of Indian army and police cordoned off village Drubgam of Pulwama, about 38 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A junior commissioned officer of army and two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed in a gunfight here last evening," a police official said. "The gunfight broke out yesterday evening in the area and operation is still ongoing."

Police officials said the area was cordoned off on specific intelligence inputs about presence of militants in the area.

The slain militants, according to reports, have been identified as local cadres of HM, the region's largest indigenous outfit.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people participated in the funeral prayers of slain militants. The youth shouted anti-India and pro-freedom slogans as the mourners were taking bodies of militants towards graveyard for burial, locals said.

Women mourners were seen wailing, showering flower petals and candies on the bodies of militants.

Last week two militants of HM were killed in neighboring Shopian district in a similar gunfight.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian- controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit