SRINAGAR – Indian army official was killed in an encounter between militants and security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday, on a day the Centre’s interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma arrived in the state to initiate the dialogue process.
A civilian was also wounded during clashes between protesters and security forces near the encounter site.
Officials said the gun fight broke out after a joint team of the army, police and CRPF launched a search operation following inputs about the presence of militants in Kandil Aglar village of Pulwama.
The police control room in Pulwama said the encounter started around 6pm after the militants opened fire at the security forces.
Kashmir inspector general of police Muneer Khan told HT Monday evening that they were trying to ascertain the identities of the three militants. “Possibly one should be local and two were foreigners,” Khan said, adding that they were searching the area.