Terrorists open fire on patrolling party in Sopore; policeman killed, 3 critically injured

A police officer was killed and three policemen were injured in a fierce gunbattle between security forces and guerrillas in Kashmir's Baramulla district Tuesday, an official said.

A senior police officer said that an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) who was injured along with three policemen in the gunbattle in Chankhan locality of Sopore town, 55 km from here, Tuesday morning succumbed to his injuries. "An ASI today succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Other three injured policemen are being treated in hospital. The operation against the militants is still on," the senior police officer said at 1.30 pm.

Reports from Sopore said firing had stopped in the area that had been cordoned off by the security forces including the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, soldiers of counter insurgency Rashtriya Rifles and troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the morning following information about the presence of a group of guerrillas.