Tuesday, January 18 2005 11:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Poonch: Four militants were killed in an early morning encounter with security forces in Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said in Poonch today (Jan 18, 2005).

According to the sources, security forces challenged a group of about ten infiltrating militants in Balnoi area of Mendhar in the wee hours and four ultras were killed in the subsequent gunbattle.

The encounter was continuing in the area, they added.

Meanwhile, security forces have busted two militant hideouts in Rajouri district and recovered a huge cache of ammunition and explosives, the sources said.

Security forces recovered two grenades of under barrel grenade launcher, four hand grenades, five anti-personnel mines, two gelatine sticks, five bundles of cordex wire, 540 rounds of LMG ammunition, 420 rounds of snipper ammunition and 767 rounds of AK ammunition from a hideout in Nowshera area of the district, they said.

From another hideout at Darrah in Thanamandi area of the district, forces recovered one AK magazine, 25 rounds of AK ammunition, one pistol with two magazines and one hand grenade, they added.