Thursday, July 13 2006 11:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: In a pre-dawn strike, militants today (July 13, 2006) killed four Hindus, including two girls, in Poonch district, official sources said.

Ultras barged into two houses in Magnar village in the district around 0100 hours and opened fire on the family members of Ashok Kumar and Mangu, killing four persons and injuring two others, the sources said.

"The militants also knocked at the doors of other housesbut nobody opened," they said.

Those killed have been identified as Priyanka and Menaka, daughters of Mangu, and Lokesh and Pankaj, sons of Ashok Kumar.

The injured have been identified as five-year-old Kamini and Sunita Devi, daughter and wife of Mangu, the sources said adding the ultras later escaped from the spot.

Police and security forces have rushed to the area and launched search operations to track down the militants.

Earlier, militants had killed 22 Hindus in Kulhand of Doda district on April 13 and 16 other Hindus in Basanthgarh of Udhampur district on May one.