Srinagar, November 17
The police and the security forces killed two unidentified militants after a nearly three-hour-long encounter over a hillock near Dalgate, only a few hours before the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s scheduled public meeting at the SK Cricket Stadium, about 200 yards away. At least five persons three BSF personnel and two civilians — were injured in the incident.

The encounter started at about 8 am when tight security arrangements were in place ahead of the PM’s visit here. The police said two youths approached the Sulaiman complex at Dalgate and tried to run away when asked by the police to disclose their identity. They took refuge inside a structure on the hillock overlooking the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, where the Prime Minister was scheduled to address a meeting.

The security forces cordoned off the area and engaged the hiding militants in a fierce firefight, which continued for about three hours. The militants opened fire from automatic weapons and hurled grenades on the security forces.

As the encounter, merely 200 yards away from the high security cricket stadium ended, the Prime Minister arrived here this morning on his two-day maiden visit to this trouble torn state. He straightway drove to the Hazratbal

shrine and paid obeisance at the shrine, housing the relic of Prophet Mohammad. Accompanied by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Prime Minister attended the first convocation of the SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and interacted with teachers and students of the University of Kashmir.

The Prime Minister’s rally had to be postponed by nearly two hours due to the gunbattle, official sources said.

The Al-Mansoorian militant outfit, a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Toiba, claimed that its men had stormed the complex.