Two LeT militants killed in encounter

Seven civilians were also injured as security forces opened fire to chase away stone-pelting protestors while evacuating the injured colleagues from the gun-battle site, police said.

Deputy Inspector General of police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the encounter between militants and security forces took place at Asthan Mohalla near village Bubgam in Pulwama town, 32 km from here.

Police along with Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF launched a search operation after receiving information about the presence of militants in the area in the wee hours today, the officer said, adding, two hiding militants opened fire and were killed in the ensuing gun-battle lasting several hours.

He said an army major, a captain and a policeman were injured in the encounter.

Kumar identified the slain militants as Imtiyaz Ahmed Teli alias "Fahadullah Kashmiri" and Mohammad Aamir Bhat alias "Khalid and Khursheed" and added that they were involved in the grenade attack on a tourist cab in Bijbehara on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in which four women tourists were killed in July this year.

"As per initial investigation, Teli was also involved in a grenade attack at Narwal area of Jammu in November in which one person had died and five others were injured," he said.

Kumar said when the army Major was being evacuated for treatment, a mob attacked the ambulance in Pulwama town by hurling stones.

"In the retaliatory action seven persons were injured," he said, adding, while six of the injured have been admitted in SMHS hospital, another was undergoing treatment at Bone and Joints Hospital here.

A policeman also received injuries after he was hit by a stone during the incident.