Jammu/Srinagar, July 17
An assistant commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF) and two militants were killed while three soldiers sustained injuries when security forces clashed with a group of heavily-armed exfiltrators in the Dhanna area of Poonch district this afternoon, even as houses of two National Conference leaders were fired upon.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Kamal Saini said BSF men and jawans deployed in Dhanna saw some men trying to cross the Line of Control into Pakistan. When challenged, the militants opened fire.

In the ensuing gunbattle, two insurgents and Assistant Commandant Sudhir Kumar were killed while three jawans sustained severe bullet wounds and were hospitalised.

Militants fired upon the residence of a ruling National Conference MLC, Mr Abdul Aziz, in Kishtwar and burnt six houses in the Surankot area last night.

Reports said the security guards of the MLC retaliated and the militants fled the spot.

Meanwhile, Pakistani troops shelled Indian positions in the Sangral area of R.S. Pora where the border fence was being installed.

The Indian forces retaliated to silence the Pakistani guns.

Militants hurled two grenades towards the house of senior National Conference leader and MP Ali Mohmmad Naik at Tral in Pulwama district last night, causing damage to windowpanes. The police here said that guards posted at the house retaliated.

In another incident, three Ikhwanis or counterinsurgents were killed and eight of them injured when an IED explosion took place at their camp in Aisahumqam, 20 km from Anantnag early this morning. An extensive damage was caused to the building in which the camp was housed.

In another incident, a security force jawan, identified as Autar Singh, died of bullet injuries at his unit at Nagrota yesterday.

Another jawan, Sudarshan Dewadi, died under mysterious circumstances near Nowshera in Rajouri district during the period.

Security forces have arrested four underground Hizbul activists at Dooligam in Banihal tehsil of Doda district on Monday night, the sources said.