Srinagar: Three militants of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit and two civilians were killed when troops of Rashtriya Rifles traded fire with the ultras holed up inside two houses at a village in Baramulla district of north Kashmir early today (November 11), official sources said.

The encounter, lasting several hours, took place when the troops encirled a few houses in village Koilmuqam in Bandipora, about 60 km from Srinagar, last night following specific information about presence of militants there, the sources said.

Finding themselves trapped, ultras lobbed several grenades and fired indiscriminately from the two houses beseiged by troops to escape the dragnet, they said.

Troops took up positions and fired back using mortars and other soiphisticated weapons to neutralise the holed up ultras, the sources said adding both the houses where the militants had taken shelter collapsed killing three militants.

Besides the three militants, two civilians identified as Mehrajuddin Shah and Zareefa Bano were also killed when they were caught in the shootout, the sources said.

Bodies of the three militants were recovered from the debris of the two houses and were identified as LeT militants Abu Saad, Abu Sufian and Umar Mohsan. Some arms and ammunitions were recovered from the slain ultras, they said.

In another encounter, troops of 9 Rashtriya Rifles killed a militant during search operations at Hampathri village of Damhal Hanjipora in Anantnag district today, the sources said.

An AK rifle and some ammunition were recovered from the killed militant, they added.

PTI