Thaindian News

Srinagar, Oct 9 (IANS) Two separatist guerrillas were killed a gunfight with security forces in north Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, police said.

Security personnel had surrounded a house in Chattergul village of Ganderbal, 30 km from Srinagar, early Sunday morning following information about the presence of a group of guerrillas there, a senior police officer told IANS.

“The militants holed up inside a house were challenged to surrender, but opened fire at the surrounding troops, triggering a gunfight.

“Two militants have been killed in the gunfight which has ended now (around 4 p.m.). The house in which the militants were holed up has been destroyed in the exchange of firing between the security forces and the militants,” the officer said.

“We are clearing the debris to retrieve the bodies of the two slain militants, both of whom are believed to be foreigners. Their actual identification will, however, be made once their bodies are retrieved,” the officer added.

Security forces and intelligence agencies here believe various guerrilla groups are preparing to sneak in as many militants into the state from across the Line of Control (LoC) as possible before the mountain passes are closed by the winter snow.

The army deployed along the LOC in Jammu and Kashmir has been put on maximum alert to thwart the infiltration bids by the guerrillas.