NEW DELHI, July 24 (Xinhua) -- An Indian army trooper and a militant were killed Wednesday in a fierce gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.
The gunfight broke out in the forest area of Kowut in the frontier Kupwara district, about 70 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
According to the Indian army, the gunfight was triggered after a joint contingent of army and police cordoned off a portion of the forest area on Tuesday based on specific intelligence information suggesting the presence of militants.
"Today suspicious movement was observed in the area, following which there was an exchange of fire between the two sides. In the ensuing gunbattle, one militant was killed and a non-commissioned officer wounded critically," a police official said. "Though the wounded trooper was removed to hospital, he succumbed to his wounds there later on."
Separately, a trooper was killed on Tuesday during a gunfight in the Battal area of Krishna Ghati sector of frontier Poonch district, about 180 km southwest of Srinagar. ■
