Three killed, two injured in Kashmir attacks

A soldier and a man were killed in two separate terror attacks in Kashmir on Monday. A guerrilla was also killed in a fierce gun battle with the security forces.

The first attack took place on a shop that sold BSNL SIM cards in north Kashmir's Sopore town, and hours later, rebels opened fire at a Rashtriya Rifles patrol in Kulgam district.

The morning shooting in Sopore town, about 50 km south of Srinagar, left three people critically injured.

Muhammad Rafiq Bhat, a resident of Sogipora in Kupwara, later died from his injuries at a hospital, a senior police officer told IANS here.

"The two injured are being treated at a Srinagar hospital, where doctors said their condition is critical," the officer said.

Just hours later, a Rashtriya Rifles patrol was ambushed by guerrillas in Kanjikulla Kokergund (Yaripora) area of Kulgam district.

Soldier Dharam Ram of the Rashtriya Rifles was critically injured in the attack, and died later at a hospital, a police officer said.

The security forces were quick to retaliate and surrounded the attackers, triggering a gun battle.

In the fierce exchange that erupted as security forces pinned down the militants, a separatist guerrilla was killed, police said.

In early April, three policemen were gunned down and a policeman and a former militant were left critically injured in three terror attacks in Kashmir.