Srinagar, October 15
Four Hizbul Mujahideen militants and a policeman were killed in separate incidents, while a senior Congress leader escaped a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir today.

Militants opened fire on the heavily-guarded residence of block president of Congress Mohammad Maqbool Bhat at Lajoora village in Pulwama district last night, prompting his guards to retaliate.

However, no one was injured in the gunbattle which lasted for nearly half-an-hour, sources said adding that the leader was present in the house at the time of the attack.

In another incident, two police personnel of Kothibagh police station, who were on duty near Ghanta Ghar (clock tower) in Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of Srinagar, were fired upon by unidentified militants from point blank range around 12.50 pm today, official sources said.

Both policemen were critically injured in the shooting and the ultras fled the scene immediately, sources said.

The injured policemen were taken to SMHS hospital where one of them Constable Ghulam Mohiuddin, was declared brought dead, while the other constable Ghulam Hassan was battling for life. A hunt has been launched to nab the militants involved in the attack.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the incident.

This was the second major strike by militants in Lal Chowk this month. On October 4, militants carried out a suicide attack at Badshah Chowk triggering a fierce 20-hour gunbattle which left 10 persons including seven securitymen and two ultras dead and 20 others injured, prompting authorities to strengthen deployment in the area.

Sources said two suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter with security forces during search operations at Senzen village of Pulwama district last night.

Two AK rifles, six magazines and some grenades were seized from the slain ultras, they said.

In another encounter in Pulwama, sources said a Hizbul Mujahideen militant Mohammad Hafiz Kulas was killed in Donaro forest in the Keller area today.

Another Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Majid Mir was killed by security forces at Motigowran in Anantnag district this afternoon, the sources said.

They said two AK rifles, two magazines, four under barrel grenade launchers with two grenades and 47 rounds of ammunition were seized from him.

Troops of the 20 battalion Jammu and Kashmir light infantry regiment unearthed an arms dump during search operations at Gajnar forest near the Line of Control in Machil sector of north Kashmir in Kupwara district this morning.

A general purpose machine gun (pika) with an additional stand, four drum magazines, 400 rounds, an AK 56 rifle, five magazines, 700 rounds and a sleeping bag were recovered from the hideout, sources said. However, no one was arrested during the operation, the sources added. — PTI