Militants escape during gun battle in Poonch

Four militants today managed to escape from night-long cordon laid after a fierce gun battle broke out in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

Acting on a tip off about the presence of four militants in Gujjar-Kheera forest belt of Mendhar border tehsil of Poonch district, army troops launched a cordon and search operation in the area last night, they said.

Militants fired on the operation party, who fired back resulting in the fierce gun battle, which continued till last in the night, they said, adding a cordon was put after the gunfight.

Search was conducted in the area this morning during which nothing was found, they said, adding that it seems that militants had managed to escape.

The operation has been called off as militants have escaped from the spot, Poonch senior superintendent of police Manmohan Singh said.