Constable killed, jawan hurt in encounter with terrorists

A police constable was killed and an Army jawan injured in an encounter with terrorists in north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Sunday, officials said.

The terrorists, however, managed to escape and security forces were making efforts to track them down, they added.

Security forces cordoned off the Mir Mohalla village in the Hajin area of Bandipora this morning following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists, a police official said.

As the forces were conducting searches, the terrorists opened fire triggering a gun battle, he said.

Constable Zahir Abbas of the J&K police was killed while an Army soldier sustained minor injuries in the gun battle, he said.

The terrorists managed to escape from the security forces' cordon, the official said.

An Army official said that search operations had been expanded to nearby areas to track down the terrorists.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and senior officers paid tributes and placed floral wreaths on the body of the slain constable.

Inspector General of Police, Munir Ahmad Khan, Inspector General (Traffic), Jagjit Kumar, Deputy Inspector General (Central Kashmir) Ghulam Hassan Bhat, officers of the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force were present at the wreath laying ceremony, a police spokesman said.

Abbas is survived by elderly parents, wife, three minor children -- Mehtab Zaheer, 10, Manik Ahmad, 8, and Sumaira Zaheer, 5, he added.

IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid and other senior officers carry the mortal remains of Policeman Zaheer Abass Khan who was martyred in an encounter with terrorists on Sunday. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com