Three days ahead of August 15 function, a gunfight between militants and government forces ensued at Batmaloo area in which a special police officer (SPO) who was attached with SOG was killed, four forces personnel and a civilian were injured.The place where the encounter took place is a few kilometers from the venue where the official I-day function will take place.Reports reaching GNS said that a joint team of SOG and CRPF launched a cordon at Deyarwani area of Batmaloo wee hours today.A senior police officer said that the cordon was launched in the area following inputs about the presence of the militants.While the joint team laid the cordon around the targeted house, the hiding militants fired upon them triggering off an encounter, he said.The officer said that five forces personnel including four CRPF men were injured during the gunfight, he said.Besides it, the owner of the house Neyaz Ahmad Bhat also received injuries during the "exchange of gunfight", he said.
All the injured forces personnel were shifted to military hospital where the SPO Parvez Ahmad later succumbed, he said.The injured civilian was shifted to SMHS hospital here where his condition is said to be stable, he said.Source, however, said that the militants believed to be two to three in number managed to escape from the house.Additional reinforcements were also rushed to the area and according to the sources a massive hunt has been launched in the entire area to trace out the militants, they said.Inspector General of Police (IGP), Swayam Prakash Pani told GNS that the two militant accomplices have been arrested while a "major hideout" has been busted in the area.He said apparently one militant was injured in the firefight and searches are underway to trace out him and other militants. The top police officer of the Kashmir division also confirmed the killing of SPO and injuries to others.In wake of the gunfight, the Internet services have been snapped in Srinagar district as a precautionary measure. (GNS)