Tuesday, February 28 2006 12:12 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Three militants, including a self-styled district commander of the pro-Pakistan Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, were killed in separate encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, a BSF spokesman said today (Feb 28,2006).

The Hizb-ul commander Aishaq Ahmad who also went by the code name Nazir was killed in a gunfight with security forces at Hadipora-Watergam in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, the spokesman said.

Troops of BSF, acting on a tip-off, raided the village around 10:45 pm last night. The militants hiding there opened fire and in the ensuing gunfight Ahmad was killed.

Besides a pistol, its one magazine and few rounds, a mobile phone was recovered from the slain militant, he said.

Two more ultras were killed when security forces returned fire after they were attacked by militants at village Drabgam, 50 kms from here in south Kashmir's Pulwama district last night, the spokesman said.

He said troops of the 42 battalion BSF were attacked by militants in the village and in the ensuing encounter two militants were killed. Troops of 53 and 55 Rashtriya Rifles also assisted BSF in the firefight, the spokesman said.