by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 1 (Xinhua) --Two civilians including a woman were killed and over a dozen others wounded Saturday as government forces gunned down two militants in a gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.
The gunfight and clashes erupted at village Brinthi-Batpora near Dailgam of Anantnag district, about 60 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The standoff in the village began after contingents of Indian police and troops cordoned off the village during morning hours.
"Two militants including a commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed today in a gunfight at village Brinthi-Batpora," a police official posted in Anantnag told Xinhua. "Two civilians, a woman and a young man, were also killed during the cross-firing."
The government forces, according to police, did not suffer any damage in the gunfight.
Police officials have identified the slain commander as Bashir Ahmad Wani alias Bashir Lashkari.
Police chief Shesh Paul Vaid in the region told media Lashkari was involved in the killing of six policemen including an officer in the district last month.
Reports said no sooner the news about the siege spread in the village, dozens of youth took to the streets shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, besides hurling stones and brickbats on government forces in a bid to help militants break through the cordon.
Read the full story at Xinhua