Sopore encounter
The identity and affiliation of the killed militant is yet to be ascertained. (Representational Image)

An Indian Army major has been killed while as another officer  and three soldiers from the 19 RR were injured during a gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. Police sources said that the bodies of two militants have already been recovered from the spot and that more militants may be holed up in a house in the area. 

A joint operation was earlier launched by the Special Operation Group, J&K Police and the Indian Army in the area few days after five CRPF soldiers were killed by the Ul-Umar Mujahideen militants in the same region.

Police officials told the local news agency that the injured soldiers have been rushed to the nearby hospital for the treatment. The encounter is still underway and the whole area has been kept out of bounds for the public, Senior Superintendent Police (Anantnag) Altaf Khan said.

He added that one of the militants killed in the encounter may be a local Kashmiri, who is believed to be a resident of the Kulgam district. The J&K Police had launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) earlier after a tip-off, Khan added.

Meanwhile, a police officer, who was seriously injured during a gunfight with the militants last week, succumbed to his injuries at the Srinagar hospital. Five CRPF soldiers and three militants belonging to the wiped out Al-Umar Mujahideen outfit were killed in the encounter.

(This is a developing story and will be updated soon)