Eight militants, cop killed in Kashmir encounters

Eight militants and a cop were killed in two fierce encounters in Kashmir Valley where four protestors were wounded in security force firing during post Friday prayer clashes.

A defence spokesman in Srinagar said troops foiled an infiltration bid in the Machil sector of the Line of Control on Friday and killed five infiltrators.

"Troops foiled the infiltration bid and shot dead five infiltrators. The alert troops detected a group of militants trying to infiltrate to this side of the LoC," Lt Col J S Brar, defence spokesman, told rediff.com.

He said three militants and a cop were killed in another encounter in the Akhal village in north Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Friday.

"Army troops surrounded a house in Akhal village on specific information about presence of a group of militants inside it. Holed up militants opened fire at the troops after being challenged," he added.

The spokesman said a cop was also killed in the encounter.

He said well armed and trained, both local and foreign terrorists have been eliminated in the ongoing counter terrorism operations conducted by the army last month.

"Significantly, despite the prevailing law and order situation, the counter terrorism operations were conducted with surgical precision and professionalism despite threat to own lives which resulted in no collateral damage to property or civilian lives. This is in consonance with the army's policy of conducting people friendly operations," he said.

Protestor-security force clashes erupted immediately after the Friday prayers in capital Srinagar, south Kashmir's Anantnag and in north Kashmir's Baramulla towns.

Shouting anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, mobs indulged in heavy stone pelting on security forces who responded by firing teargas and used baton charges.

A police spokesman said three protestors were injured in north Kashmir Baramulla town when security forces opened fire to quell the stone pelting mobs.

The injured were taken to hospital for treatment.

One protestor was injured in south Kashmir's Anantnag town on Friday afternoon after security forces opened fire to disperse a stone pelting mob.

Authorities relaxed curfew in phases in summer capital Srinagar on Friday evening. Shops opened in the summer capital and skeletal traffic plied on the roads. People came out to buy essential items from the market.