Gunbattle on between army and militants

After a nightlong lull, gunfire between separatist guerrillas and security forces in a village in Jammu and Kashmir restarted this morning.

After a nightlong lull, gunfire between separatist guerrillas and security forces in a village in Jammu and Kashmir restarted on Thursday morning.

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The gunbattle had started on Wednesday when troops of the Rashtriya Rifles and local police had surrounded a house in Dadsara village, 35 km from here in Pulwama district, after a tip-off about the presence of guerrillas inside.

The guerrillas holed up inside the house were asked to surrender and responded with a volley of gunfire.

On Thursday after a few hours of quiet, security forces again came under heavy automatic gunfire this morning, a police official said.

"Firing exchanges have again started between the militants and the security forces in Dadsara village where the security forces had surrounded a house yesterday morning following information about the presence of militants inside," he added.

"One militant has died in the encounter so far, but this would only be confirmed after the body of the slain militant is recovered."