Militant, five security men killed as Kupwara gunfight continues

Srinagar : At least three soldiers, two policemen and a militant were killed on Wednesday as the gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district entered its second day officials said.

The gunfight broke out on Tuesday inside Halmatpora forest area of Kupwara, about 110 km from Srinagar city.

"Firing still continues in Kupwara and on Wednesday, two policemen and three soldiers were killed in the ongoing operations," Indian army spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia told the media.

"The policemen have been identified as Deepak Pandit and Muhammad Yusuf. The operation is still going on," a source said.

On Tuesday, four militants were killed in the gunfight and another one on Wednesday.

A senior police official said the forest area was cordoned off by joint contingents of army and police late Tuesday following intelligence information about presence of militants.

Authorities have rushed additional reinforcements to the forest area to take on militants.