Cop, trooper among three killed in Tral gunfight

Srinagar: A cop, a trooper and top Hizbul Mujahideen commander were killed in a fierce gun battle between militants and joint team of army and police at Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday.Official sources said that following specific information about the presence of militants in Ratherpora Dadadsar Tral, police and troops of 42 Rashtriya Rifle launched a joint cordon-and-search operation this afternoon.As soon as the joint team zeroed in on a particular house, militants, hiding inside, opened indiscriminate firing, killing an assistant Sub-Inspector, identified as Stainzen Narboo and trooper of 42 RR, Amajeet on the spot while another soldier, sepoy Achan Thung was injured. The joint team retaliated, triggering off a fierce gun battle. During the course of the gunfight, Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander, Sajjad Ahmad Dar, was killed.Police claimed that the slain militant was responsible for a number of activities and was also involved in the recent killing of a National Conference Halqa President-Ghulam Mohidin Bhat son of Ali Mohammad Bhat of Pinglish Tral, who was killed last month. Some arms and ammunition was recovered from the possession of the slain militant.When contacted, Defense ministry spokesman based in Srinagar, Lt Col J S Brar confirmed the casualties on either side. “The search operation in the area was going on when reports last came in,” he   Sources told, meanwhile said that remaining militants, whose number is put between two to three, managed to escape from the spot.  Meanwhile, police has claimed to have arrested a militant of the same outfit, from Kokernag area in Anantnag district of the region.They said that joint team of 36 RR, Police, 40 battalion CRPF in a joint operation arrested Firdous Peer alias Saifullah Khalid of Batgund Duroo from Kokernag. Police has registered a case under FIR 57/2011, they added.