Srinagar: Five militants, including a top Commander of Harkat-ul-jehad-e-islami (HUJI), and an army jawan were killed in separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, where ultras killed two persons and blew up a security vehicle wounding two persons since last night, a police spokesman said today (July 5, 2004). A self-styled district commander of HUJI Ghulam Mohiuddin Dar alias Shaheen was killed along with his bodyguard in an encounter with troops of 36 Rashtriya rifles at Soyan-Wanigam village in Kokernag area of Anantnag this morning, he said.

The encounter took place when the troops confronted the two militants during search operations. An AK rifle, a pistol, a wireless set and 142 rounds were recovered from them, he said.

The spokesman said two militants including a Pakistani national identified as Sardar Sarfaraz Khan were killed during search operations at Yasoo-Batapora in Anantnag.

Acting on information about presence of some militants in the area troops of Rashtriya rifles cordoned off the area.

An army jawan was killed and four civilians injured in the encounter, which ensued.

A group of residents from the village today staged a demonstration outside Anantnag deputy commissioner's office alleging highhandedness at the hands of security forces during the two day long operation.

In another encounter, the sources said a militant was killed and two army men injured, one of them seriously, at Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.

According to reports one jawan was missing during the encounter and search was on to trace his whereabouts, they added.