Srinagar, April 26
The fierce gun battle that began yesterday ended with the killing of the third militant holed up in the debris of a house in south Kashmir’s Shopian district today. In all, five persons, including a Major, a soldier of Army’s elite counter-insurgency unit, and three local militants, were killed in the 18-hour gun battle. The lone militant who engaged security forces for the entire night was shot dead this morning.

Major Mukund Vardharajan (31) of Bangalore and sepoy Vikram were killed in a surprise attack four hours into the encounter in the Sheikh Pathri Karewa of Shopian, 60 km from Srinagar, yesterday.

The encounter began around 4 pm on Friday after a joint operation was launched by a unit of Rashtriya Rifles 44 battalion and Special Operation Group (SOG) of the J&K Police. The security forces had received a tip-off about the presence of three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants in the area.

Two local militants, including group commander Asif Wani of Drubgam, and Shabir Gorsi, were killed in the first two hours of the gun battle.

“The Army team led by Major Vardharajan was taken by surprise as one of militants - Abdul Haq Malik - hiding in the debris fired indiscriminately, leaving two Army men critically injured. The Army officer was evacuated but he was declared brought dead at the military hospital,” the source said. Sepoy Vikram died on the spot and his body could not be retrieved throughout the night.

DIG (South Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said: “The encounter is over and three militants were killed. We have handed over the bodies to the families.” Defence officials said two assault rifles and a pistol were recovered from the scene.