Accused in soldier’s murder among four militants killed in J&K

Srinagar, May 18 (IANS) Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including one involved in the abduction and murder of soldier Aurangzeb last year, were killed in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday and another militant in a shootout in Baramulla, police said.

Police sources said Showkat Ahmad Dar, a Hizbul militant killed in Punzgam village of Pulwama, was involved in abduction and subsequent murder of Rifleman Aurangzeb, who had participated in the operation in which top militant commander, Sameer Tiger, was killed on April 30 last year.

A second-generation soldier, Aurangzeb of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles was abducted from a private vehicle on June 14 last year from Kalampora village of Pulwama when he was on way to join his family in Poonch district to celebrate Eid. His bullet-riddled body was found in Gusoo village of Pulwama the next day.

The three Hizbul men were killed early on Saturday after an overnight gun battle in Punzgam.

Apart from Dar, who hailed from Punzgam, the other two were identified as Muzaffar Ahmed and Irfan Ahmad from Sopore area of Baramulla.

Another gun battle broke out in Hathlangoo village of Baramulla after a hiding militant fired at a cordon and search party.

"As the cordon was tightened, there was firing from the hideout triggering the encounter. All exit points from the village were sealed and the militant was brought down," an officer said.

The identity of the killed militant was yet to be ascertained.

Following the gunfights, mobile internet services in Sopore and Awantipora area were suspended and train services between Srinagar and Bannihal town of Jammu region also stopped.