Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed, 2 security personnel injured in encounter in Srinagar; telecom services barring BSNL snapped in city

Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed while a CRPF jawan and a Jammu and Kashmir policeman suffered injuries during an encounter in the city’s Nawakadal area on Tuesday, police said. While police officials did not identify the slain militants, sources said one of the ultras killed in the operation was a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen hailing from Srinagar. The other militant is believed to be a foreign national, they said. Two militants have been killed in the operation at Nawakadal in Srinagar, a police official said, adding that weapons and ammunition were seized from the spot. Two security personnel — a CRPP jawan and a Jammu and Kashmir policeman — were injured in the gunbattle with the militants, the officials said. The encounter began after security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the night following information about the presence of militants there. The encounter began around 2 am. There was a lull in firing for about five hours after that. But fresh contact was established with the militants around 8 am, the official said. The official said mobile internet and mobile telephony services, except on BSNL postpaid, have been snapped in the city as a precautionary measure.