Army major killed in J&K encounter

Four other security men, including two jawans, are critically wounded in gubattle with a group of Lashker-e-Toiba militants in J&K's Rajouri district.

An Army Major and a police constable were killed and three other security personnel seriously injured in a fierce gun battle with a group of Lashker-e-Toiba militants in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

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The incident came just a day after nine armymen were killed and 20 jawans injured in an explosion triggered by militants of Hizbul Mujaheedin on Srinagar-Baramulla highway.

Acting on a tip-off that a group of five to six LeT militants were roaming in Kunda-Pangai forest in Thanamandi belt of Rajouri district, Army and Special Operations Group (SOG) of police launched a cordon and search operation in the area today, defence spokesman Col SD Goswami said.

During the operation, militants fired on the joint party, who retaliated and a gunfight ensued, he said.

In the exchange of fire, Major Bhanu Pratap Singh of 43 Rashtriya Rifles and SOG constable Sanjeev Raina were killed and three other securitymen, including two jawans, injured.

The injured, Rifleman Ravinder Singh, Lance Naik Gain Prakash and police constable Javed, were rushed to the district hospital in Rajouri, the spokesman said.

The 29-year-old Major, a resident of Jaipur, was commissioned into 8 Rajputana Rifles and was posted to 43 Rashtriya Rifles some time back.

His body will be sent to his native place.

"The operation to track down the group of militants is on," Col Goswami said.