Jammu: A woman and a child were killed and seven injured on October 28 when a third militant, involved in the attack on Shalimar Express, fired indiscriminately in a standoff with security forces at Akhnoor about 25 km from Jammu, official sources said.

The militant holed up in the Akhnoor-Tawi river bank area gave a slip to the security forces and entered the MES residential area and opened fire on people on the second day of the operation to track him after two of his accomplices were killed on October 27, the sources said.

During rigorous search operation by the troops in the bushes in the area, the besieged militant emerged from the greens and opened indiscriminate fire on troops, they said.

The soldiers took position and exchanged fire, as a result of which two soldiers and the militant were injured, they said.

However, the militant later managed to give a slip and entered into MES (Military Engineering Service) quarters and opened fire on the inmates killing a child and a woman and injuring five others, the sources said.

PTI