2 terrorists killed after abducting constable in Kulgam

Two terrorists were killed in a brief encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Friday, hours after the duo abducted a constable, police said.

The terrorists opened fire at a patrolling party of the Army in the Frisal area of Kulgam, in south Kashmir, in the evening, they said.

The forces retaliated and the two terrorists were killed, a police official said.

Their identity and affiliation are being ascertained, he added.

The official said the incident took place near the Shirpora area in Kulgam from where Constable Sartaj Ahmad Itoo was abducted earlier.

Itoo and another person, identified as Imran Ahmad, were injured in the exchange of fire, he said, adding that both were rushed to a hospital in Anantnag.

Constable Itoo of Railway Police Srinagar was abducted from his home.

It was the second such incident of abduction of a policeman in the Valley in as many days.

On Thursday night, Constable Javaid Jabbar was abducted by terrorists in Shopian district.

He was, however, set free hours later.

Terrorist hideout busted in J-K's Doda

Security forces busted a terrorist hideout in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Friday evening and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, a senior police officer said.

The hideout in Doda's Gouria-Gundana forest was unearthed during a joint search operation carried out by district police and troops from 10 Rashtriya Rifles personnel on the basis of specific information, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mumtaz Ahmed told PTI.

The seized arms and ammunition include two AK-47 assault guns, two AK magazines, one Chinese pistol, 580 AK rounds, three Chinese hand grenades and one pistol magazine, he said.

Most of the items had gathered rust, indicating that it is an old hideout that was used by terrorists who operated in the district over a decade ago, the SSP said.

No arrests have been made yet, Ahmed said.

A case has been registered at the Doda police station under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act. Further investigation is underway, he said.